News
Deptherapy’s Red Sea Wrecks – Part 1
This July, scuba diving rehabilitation charity Deptherapy ran its first ever liveaboard programme in the Red Sea, qualifiying 11 new PADI wreck divers and 2 new PADI Deep Divers. This is the story of the 10 day expedition as told by Deptherapy Board Member, PADI AmbassaDIVER and now, Trainee Divemaster, Gary Green.
A band of brothers all in suit, some with fins, some no boot,
Wet suits tailored to cover limb, battling currents battering him,
A band of brothers strong together, on land, in water, in any weather,
We stick as one side-by-side, in the desert or highest tide,
No missing limb could stop him dive, the feeling keeping him alive,
Whether swimming arms or kicking feet, not one man admits defeat,
They were once soldiers, now are survivors,
They are now veterans, now are divers.
Arrival Day: Within the first minutes of arriving at Gatwick south terminal, a subconscious change starts to happen. My vocabulary begins to rapidly transform from the Oxfordshire speaking, slightly southern tongue to the grubby little rifleman that I once was. My polite Oxfordshire tone, (although to most people I probably sound like a cross between Danny Dyer and Benedict Cumberbatch) transforms into a language where every second word is a profanity, welcome to the explicit deleted blog.
As soon as we congregate as a team, you can literally sense the atmosphere change, voices raise and the behavioural patterns start to take a decline in decorum. It would only be for suitable ears, so I would hate to put some of you readers off of your dinner and scribe the actual conversations that took place within the first few minutes. It is important that I say that this is not the behaviour of thugs, it’s actually the opposite; it’s vulnerable young men surviving. This is how we all survived in battalion, to not fit in is to be weak, to be weak means to die. I am surrounded by survivors of both war and also by survivors of the social jungle of the armed forces. We beat our chest like apes; we battle each other with hazing and banter; we survive with each other. This is what we all know and this is in our DNA when we get together; this is where we are honest and this is part of our therapy. The troops are reunited.
We had a fantastic reception by Thomas Cook airlines, across the TV screens it read “Thomas Cook welcome the Deptherapy team.” As soon as we were through the terminal, there were two objectives. The first was to raid the duty free, I think almost everyone left with 200 cigarettes; then of course, to the pub. We all met in there sat around a table, each with a glass or two of lager, though some of us had spirits as well, out of habit or just a softener for the flight. The loud voices and boisterous behaviour can appear intimidating to anyone that didn’t know us, which wasn’t many people by the time we left.
In our seats for the flight we listened out as the captain spoke over the speaker announcing our presence, redundant as Chris Middleton had already announced our presence with his own natural megaphone. There’s a saying for people like him, we call it permanent send but you may know the term more commonly as motor mouth. The novelty of the journey soon wears off. Most of us had to complete our knowledge reviews from the wreck diver manual and some of us were preparing for our enriched diver certification so that we could have an extended no decompression limit on some of the deeper wrecks. The journey was just beginning; a ten day liveaboard with a band of brothers discovering the Red Sea’s forgotten wrecks. This journey was to be funded by the Royal Foundation’s Endeavour Fund and the trip was all part of the build up programme for Deptherapy’s Truk Lagoon expedition which will take place in 2018.
A lot of excitement and a trail of cigarette smoke followed our arrival at Hurghada airport. I love the reception at Hurghada airport, the airport always seems to be very quiet which means by the time you run to the smoking room and back, your luggage is waiting for you to collect it. Steve and Claire Rattle (the owners of Roots who generously let us use their resort to run the courses) met us outside the airport. Friendly faces are always a comfort in a foreign country, especially when they’ve organised your transport. We were loaded quickly by the endlessly helpful Egyptian staff and after a fifteen minute trip through the city, we arrived at Hurghada marina where our vessel was docked. A quick look round our group and the faces of the blokes said it all. Amongst the boats/ships that were docked, was the MV Princess Diana, a glorious boat that looked like something out of a movie to someone like me. I was excited to see such an opportunity materialise in front of my face. Steve and Claire had chartered the boat from an Egyptian Captain and the boat belongs to his family.
It was soon time for every squaddies favourite word… Admin. We had to have the necessary safety briefings and sort out our dive teams. Also diving etiquette, for example: don’t come steaming up the shot line when other divers are doing their safety stops, something that not all took note of! Sat around the briefing room of the MV Princess Diana we were talked through the simple things first: who was sharing what room, the rules about the bells (if the bell goes and your hair is dry, you do your gas check and head to the dive brief, if your hair is wet it’s time for food) – of course someone asked “what do you do if you’re bald?” There were some rules that we had to get used to, like for instance, tissue could not be flushed down the toilet, it had to be placed in the bin. We are all responsible divers and flushing things down the toilet would mean they end up in the sea and potentially damage the flora and fauna of the ocean. Even a fire alarm test was conducted; and then, most importantly, we found out what teams we were all going to be diving in.
Our dive teams were sorted in the following order:
Team Ambition (Red Team):
- Martin Weddell – PADI Master Instructor, DE Instructor Trainer MHFA
- Dave Culver – PADI Master Instructor
- Dickie Henderson – RAF Regiment, Paramedic (Trainee Dive Master)
- Ben Lee – Royal Engineers, Bilateral amputee
- Chris Middleton – Royal Scots’ DG, Bi lateral amputee (Dive master)
- Chris Ganley – Rifles, Single AE amputee
- Gary Green – Rifles, Blind right eye/PTSD (Trainee Dive Master)
Team Achievement (White Team):
- Sharon El Shoura – PADI Staff Instructor, DE Instructor MHFA
- Russell Heath – PADI Master Instructor
- Andy Johnston – Royal Marines (Trainee Dive Master)
- David Hubber – Royal Logistics Corps, Degenerative spinal
- Dan Phillips – Mercian, Back injury/PTSD
- Peter Hayward – Royal Welsh, Major knee reconstruction
Team Adventure (Blue Team):
- Andy Alfred – PADI Master Instructor, DE Instructor Trainer MHFA
- Ian Bertram – Royal Army Medical Corps (PADI Staff Instructor)
- Michael Clapp – Single arm amputee (Dive Master)
- Jamie Hull – Paras, 3rd degree burns 60% (Instructor Development Course Staff Instructor)
- Jason Court – Royal Navy, Fracture both femurs, left ulna and back compression
- Luke Morrison – Paras, Single leg amputee
- Ian Potter – RAF Regiment, Single leg amputee
Once the admin was over, we unpacked our kit and found our tank numbers that were relevant to our rooms. We then set up our diving kit so that we would be ready for the morning, no time to waste on the livaboard! You could see everyone making sure that everything was exactly how they wanted it. The thing about diving is that everything should be in the triangle of your torso so there were a few attempts as people moved things around to get the maximum efficiency. For a few of us we hadn’t had an SNBD or reel on our kit before, so just like the military, we had to get used to where we placed it. Our instructors gave us advice on what would be most comfortable; a simple scenario given by experience was enough for you to make informed decisions. The good thing about instructors is that they’ve made all the mistakes for you already and you just have to listen to them. After the kit was sorted, the time was our own and everyone congregated onto what became nicknamed the ‘smoking deck’. Pretty quickly the on-board fridge was raided, the music was playing on the wireless speaker and the blokes went into party mode, swiftly reminded that drinking and diving definitely do not mix.
Donate to Deptherapy or find out more about their work at www.deptherapy.co.uk
Tomorrow, we start diving! Come back tomorrow to read Part Two…
Blogs
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This is a truly unique opportunity to have a Family Desert Adventure totally away from it all! You will be based at the remote Roots Red Sea on the coast of the Egyptian Eastern Desert, 140km south of Hurghada city.
Red Sea Splash main focus is Snorkelling & Scuba Diving but that’s not all, we provide a rounded week of activities in support.
Pool& Field Games – Arts & Crafts
Marine Biology Workshops
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Roots Red Sea have established strong links with the local communities of Hamerwain & El Quseir affording our guests to have a true taste of the local culture, SPLASH CAMP embraces this opportunity and bring in the local children to join in the fun with our adventure seekers.
During the day, families are welcome to take part in all activities together or the kids can be left with the SPLASH CAMP team while the parents enjoy the facilities or go diving themselves!
At the end of the day, its family time while the SPLASH CAMP team take a break. For those with the energy, there are family evening activities planned a few evenings.
Open Air Movie Night – Desert Star Gazing Walk & Talk
El Quseir Evening City Tour
The second week is very special, we head off on the Big Blue for a liveaboard safari around Fury Shoals.
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U-8 Splash Club
Sadly we can’t offer Scuba Diving to the Splash Club but we can have lots of fun Snorkelling & Free Diving!
Splash Club includes:
Certified Snorkel Course – Marine ID Games – Intro to Free Diving
Arts & Craft Sessions – Adventure trails – Cultural Playtime – Pool Games
U-12 Explorer Club
In addition to an exciting snorkelling and Free Diving Programme in the Splash Club we can take you under the water on SCUBA to a whole new world of fun and wonder. If you are under 10 your first breath under water will be as a Bubblemaker and continue with daily Seal Team Missions. From 10 we will complete a Discover Scuba Diving experience in the amazing Red Sea. Alternatively we offer a full junior certification programme to become an international qualified Scuba Diver.
U-16 Adventurer Club
For qualified Scuba Divers regardless of age it’s the Adventurer Club and exploration of the local reefs and marine life. There will be 2 dives every day with the Open Ocean marine field station team who will introduce you to Red Sea marine life and workshops on marine research. Alternatively there are opportunities to continue your scuba diving certifications with our instructional team.
Parents are welcome to join the club activities and join the courses.
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Big Blue might seem like the new kid on the block, but the team behind the highly acclaimed liveaboard is far from that. They have been running Red Sea safaris since the late 1980’s and were in fact part of the early pioneers who ventured out to the unknown on vessels that in today’s world, really shouldn’t have left the harbour! It’s that experience and the years of operating the award-winning Roots Red Sea resort which truly set Big Blue apart from the crowd!
Large lounge area, spacious sun deck and terrace deck.
Airy restaurant with five tables with up to six chairs per table, serving a varied and delicious menu with special dietary requirements catered for.
The spacious cabins have side by side beds and a large walk in wet bathroom.
Ample dive deck for divers & snorkelers.
Safety is everyone’s priority, whether you are relaxing on board, swimming, snorkelling or diving.
On board Big Blue is fitted with smoke alarms, emergency lighting and a fire alarm system. The lower corridor has a full-size door fire exit at the bow and open stairs to the stern. There are evacuation plans in each room along with life jackets, glass breaker tool and a fire extinguisher.
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Red Sea Splash at Fury Shoals is a very rare opportunity to get involved with marine biology expedition for children and adults. Open Ocean biologists are on board to provide fascinating and entertaining facts about the marine life you will see. The team will provide workshops on marine life identification and survey methods both of which, should you wish, you will have the chance to put into practice during your safari.
The week is open to snorkelers, scuba divers and non divers too!
Fury shoals is perfect for first time mariners as it offers plenty of protection from the weather.
We board at Port Ghaleb on Saturday evening and prepare to set sail early on Sunday morning.
Heading south, our first day will be diving the reefs of Abu Dabbab before sailing overnight to reach our ultimate destination the Fury Shoals.
Here we will spend four days swimming, snorkelling and scuba diving amazing reefs. This includes guaranteed DOLPHIN encounters at Sataya Reef! After the last dive we haul anchor and head back to Abu Dabbab for our final two dives before disembarking our boat BIG BLUE.
Camp Extension Cost*
Adult £650 per adult
Under 16 £350 per child
BOOK NOW: INFO@PHARAOHDIVECLUB.COM / TEL: +44 7598 329059 or +20 100 6822000
FURTHER INFORMATION – INFO@PHARAOHDIVECLUB.COM
TEL: +44 7598 329059 or +20 100 6822000
Blogs
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Pure Dive Resort isn’t just another dive centre; it’s a team of experts dedicated to providing world-class scuba diving and freediving adventures around Nusa Penida, Lembongan, Ceningan, and even Bali.
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Ready to make a splash?
See you in Nusa Penida!
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