News
Dive into the Red Sea
The Red Sea is a constant in the top spot on the list of most diver’s favourite destinations. Consistent warm, clear waters year-round, a fantastic range of dive sites, and superb corals and marine life make Egypt one of the most popular dive destinations worldwide… But the Red Sea also offers plenty of other tempting dive spots: Jordan, Sudan, Djibouti and Saudi Arabia to name a few, just waiting to be discovered by you.
Read on for some of our highly recommended dive destinations and enjoy your next dive travel adventure taking in the underwater magic of the Red Sea…
Aqaba Adventure Divers – Aqaba, Jordan
Tel: +962 7 9907 8450
Email: info@aqaba-diving.com
Web: www. aqaba-diving.com
Our Resort has something for everyone! Whether you’re an experienced diver, a beginner looking for adventure or just in need of some relaxation, bring the whole family and enjoy the fun and friendly atmosphere.
Aqaba Adventure Divers rests on a quiet hillside and provides a magnificent view over Egypt, Israel, Jordan and Saudi Arabia surrounding the Red Sea, Spend the morning exploring one of the many beautiful sites of the Aqaba marine park guided by a member of our experienced dive team.
In the afternoon, after enjoying some lunch, take some time out and relax around the pool, or challenge our team to a game of pool. Then as the evening draws in, order a coffee or Hubble bubble (water pipe) while watching the breathtaking views of the Red Sea sunset. Don’t want to go home? No problem, stay the night in one of our 15 poolside rooms where you can get a good night’s sleep before starting it all again tomorrow!
There are many things that make Aqaba the best place to go diving in the Red Sea. The diving along the shores of Aqaba, South Beach, is as good as you can find it anywhere in the Red Sea; there are extensive efforts into coral preservation and restriction on fishing which helps to assure that divers will meet lots of fish, crustaceans, octopus, turtles and everything you wish to see. The local dive centers are very active in clean up dives and often the guests participate, this shows the involvement of both the local dive industry and the guests.
Facebook: @aqabaadventuredivers | Instagram: @aqaba_adventure_divers
Saeed Rashid: Wrecks of Aqaba at the NUPG meeting (Watch Video)
This Northern Underwater Photography Group (NUPG) meeting saw another top-notch guest speaker take to the virtual stage. Saeed Rashid joined the group to talk about diving in Aqaba and in particular the wreck photography opportunities this unique destination offers…
Roots Red Sea – El Quseir, Red Sea, Egypt
Tel: +20 106 554 0900
Email: info@rootsredsea.com
Web: www.rootsredsea.com
Roots Red Sea is a small friendly resort aimed at scuba divers, snorkelers and those who want a quiet, peaceful, relaxed atmosphere. Roots Red Sea is managed by British owned and run Pharaoh Dive Club who have an unsurpassed reputation for friendly helpful staff delivering great personal service.
Owners Steve and Clare have vast experience of the Red Sea having been working in the region for over 30 years. Their simple mantra is to deliver the holiday the guest wants and treat everyone the way they would like to be treated themselves; it is certainly a winning formula. There is a distinct no problem attitude and nothing is too much trouble for the team.
El Quseir has the reputation of providing the very best shore based diving in the Egyptian Red Sea. Diving all around El Quseir is extremely varied with a myriad of pristine coral gardens, challenging wall dives, offshore ergs, sea grass meadows and extensive cavern systems.
Whether its Learn to Dive in the Red Sea, shore diving, boat diving, camel safari diving, cavern diving, technical diving, rebreather diving, wreck diving safaris, unlimited house reef diving, or any other diving activity in the Red Sea, look no further. Pharaoh Dive Club at Roots Red Sea is the ideal location
There is something for every diver with options for shore diving, zodiac diving or hard boat diving. Further afield there are even opportunities to take excursions to visit world renowned sites such as Elphinstone and the Salem Express.
Special Offer
Roots Red Sea is offering Scubaverse readers a special bonus when they book a package for travel any time in 2022. Simply quote ref ‘DAVE SAID’ to receive a 50% discount on any course taken during your stay at Roots.
Facebook: @RootsRedSea
The Scuba Place (and MV Big Blue) – Hurghada, Egypt
Tel: +44 (0)20 3515 9955
Email: reservations@thescubaplace.co.uk
Web: www.thescubaplace.co.uk
Big Blue is the brand new, standard-setting Red Sea Safari vessel sailing in and out of Hurghada and Port Ghalib on Southern itineraries. Huge cabins, huge dive decks, huge dive platform and of course, a real focus on delivering the very best diving. British owned and operated means excellent standards, particularly when it comes to safety, food and service.
Nitrox is included for all charters, and Big Blue can cater for recreational, technical and rebreather divers.
A maximum of 24 passengers means there is space in abundance – even for sidemount, twin-set and CCR divers.
Itineraries include the favorites such as Northern Wrecks and Reefs, Brothers and the North, Brothers, Daedalus and Elphinstone and the Deep South, and then there is the exclusive 3 Wars Wreck Safari, diving 17 wrecks in one week, and venturing up into the Northern Suez. Bolt on Ras Mohammed and Tiran too on our Northern Safaris – they really pack a punch! Custom built itineraries are standard for full charters too – you tell us where you want to go, and we deliver!
FREE NITROX on all full charters comes as standard!
Facebook: @thescubaplace | Instagram: @the.scuba.place
Scuba Diving & Marine Life: Hawksbill Turtle, Red Sea (Watch Video)
Scubaverse Underwater Videographer and Editor-at-Large Jeff Goodman takes us on a tour of some of his favourite marine life in this video series…
Watch more Red Sea marine life videos HERE
Emperor Divers – Port Ghalib, Marsa Alam, Egypt
Tel: +20 (0) 122 737 2126
Email: info@emperordivers.com
Web: www.emperordivers.com
Emperor Divers offers the best and most convenient location for diving in Marsa Alam.
Located directly on the Port Ghalib marina jetty, we provide the finest service in the Marsa Alam area with a range of trips from shallow wrecks and bays to world-class Elphinstone.
Our fleet of day boats are moored right on the marina and we provide complimentary transfers from a number of hotels in the area. So, because of our perfect location, you can enjoy easy diving from your first day in a venue which is great for both learners and experienced divers.
Emperor’s standard boat diving includes two dives per day with guide, tanks and weights, and the sites we will take you to offer excellent corals, great visibility and a chance to see sharks, dugong, turtles and dolphins.
Marsa Alam is one of three Red Sea destinations we offer, with dive sites and a fleet of boats also based in Sharm el Sheikh.
Image: Frogfish Photography
We regularly update our website with special offers so visit www.emperordivers.com to see what is available or sign up for our newsletter to get exclusive deals. You can also call us on +44 (0) 161 504 2822 where you will be given the personal touch to help you plan and book your perfect Emperor Divers holiday.
Facebook: @emperordiversofficial | Instagram: @emperordivers_
Camel Dive Club & Hotel – Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt
Tel: +20 69 360 0700
Email: info@cameldive.com
Web: www.cameldive.com
The One Stop base for your perfect diving holiday in the Red Sea.
Camel Dive Club & Hotel in Sharm El Sheikh is a PADI five-star Instructor Development Dive Resort located in the heart of Na’ama Bay, just five minutes’ walk from the jetty from where dive trips depart.
Spend your days diving, snorkeling with our team of PADI professionals, and relaxing on our custom-built dive boats. Return to dine in our Italian inspired restaurant, enjoy our evening divers’ gatherings, and watch the stars from our rooftop bar. Retire in the comfort of our boutique hotel, wake refreshed and ready to do it all again.
We run daily boat trips to Tiran, Ras Mohammed, wreck excursions like Thistlegorm, Dunraven and Million Hope, as well as night dives and shore dives from the house reef. We offer a complete range of PADI diving lessons.
Here we have everything under one roof for your perfect Red Sea diving holiday.
Dive & Stay Special Offer
Dive back into the holiday scene!
Offer includes:
- 7 nights at Camel Hotel, including breakfasts
- 5 days guided diving (two boat dives a day, tanks and weights)
- Free nitrox (two 12lt tanks per day, 32%)
- Airport transfers
556 Euro per person sharing a double room.
764 Euro in a single room.
Valid for bookings until 30 June 2022. Limited availability. Contact us at info@cameldive.com mentioning the promo code ‘SCUBAV22’ to get a special price.
Facebook: @cameldive.sharm | Instagram: @camel_dive_club
Top Five Snorkeling Sites in Sharm El Sheikh
One of the best things about Sharm el Sheikh is that not only is it a short flight from Europe and the UK, it also boasts some of the best marine life in the world combined with 30 metre plus visibility. Sharm is already well known for top-class diving and year-round sunshine but there is also a plethora of sites that are ideal for snorkeling…
Al-Haddad Scuba – Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Tel: +966 56 020 7606
Email: reservations@haddadscuba.com
Web: www.haddadscuba.com
Al-Haddad Scuba is the leading scuba diving company in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and offers the ultimate experience for all levels of diver. We are an SSI Instructor training center and offer a wide range of courses from Open Water to Instructor level, including specialties such as Deep, Wreck, Boat, Shark, Night, and many more.
We offer a professional and safe experience for all our divers. Our facility and its staff have trained and guided more than 5,000 divers in the past 11 years and your enjoyment and safety while you are with us are our top priority.
We are the only boat trip provider offering daily trips in Jeddah, where you can discover amazing dive sites such as Coral Garden, Sea Pools (AKA Jeddah Maldives), Nemo Garden, Giant Garden, and multiple wrecks. We also offer shore diving day or night, and dive trips to Rabigh, a small town nearby with beautiful untouched reefs and amazing corals that are teeming with marine life. And with other activities such as snorkeling, water skiing and sightseeing, you will always get the best experience with Al-Haddad Scuba.
Special Offer
Scubaverse exclusive boat trip is 370 SAR (99 USD) instead of 440 SAR (117 USD).
Facebook: @haddadscuba | Instagram: @haddad_scuba
Fire on Monroe Bravo is the latest book in the Jack Collier series by Fred Lockwood. Our story begins with our lead characters, Jack and Sandro, owners of Marine Salvage & Investigation Company, arriving on the Monroe Bravo Oil & Gas Platform in the North Sea. Having secured a contract for their vessel the MV Stavanger to act as support ship to the platform for TransGlobal Oil, our protagonists are on a celebratory visit.
However almost as soon as they arrive a series of explosions rock the platform, causing huge damage, loss of life and the very real danger of a massive human, ecological and financial disaster.
As the danger mounts for both our heroes and the surviving workers, Jack and Sandro will have to escape the inferno, all while trying to save the platform and the men still trapped unable to help themselves.
The disaster sets the scene for the unfolding story lines following the fate of the platform and our main characters, the police investigation into a suspected terrorist act and the actions of TransGlobal Oil as they attempt to navigate the pubic outcry and financial repercussions.
In his eighth book, Fire on Monroe Bravo, Fred Lockwood delivers an explosive thriller, with plenty of above and in-water drama, and our heroes fighting for survival, what more can you ask for?
We thoroughly recommend this read and look forward to the next in the series. For more information about his book series, you can check out the reviews of his previous books here on Scubaverse.
- Title: Fire On Monroe Bravo
- Author: Fred Lockwood
- ISBN: 979-8325324536
Available in a paperback version and for Kindle from Amazon and book stores.
In June we were incredibly fortunate to be invited to dive in Alonissos, a small Greek Island in the Sporades island chain located in the North Aegean Sea. While I have long been a big fan of the Greek Islands as a great holiday destination, I had not had the opportunity to do any diving on previous visits and Mike and I were extremely excited to see what Alonissos had to offer both above and below the surface!
The Sporades are easily accessible via the airport in Skiathos (the first island in the chain), which is served by Jet2 flights from all major UK airports from May through October. Numerous ferries and charter boats make island hopping from Skiathos Town a breeze. After an hour boat ride, the picturesque port of Patitiri was a wonderful introduction to Alonissos, where we were met by our gracious hosts Kostas of Albedo Travel and Dias of Alonissos Triton Dive Center. Mike and I were delighted to be staying at the Paradise Hotel, aptly named for its stunning views over the sea and great location for walking to the waterfront.
Alonissos is beautifully situated in the National Marine Park of Alonissos and the Northern Sporades, the largest marine protected area in Europe. The surrounding seas offer fabulous marine life, including incredibly rare species such as the Mediterranean monk seal. They boast deep walls covered in gorgonians and sponges, stunning topography with caverns, swimthroughs and pinnacles, and the first accessible ancient shipwreck from 500BC!
In locations where historical sites have been reported, the waters are largely restricted, but with collaboration between government, underwater archeologists and dive centres, incredible underwater museums are being created for a truly unique diving experience. Alonissos is home to the first of these, the Ancient Shipwreck of Peristera Accessible Underwater Archeological Site. The chance to dive into history (along with reports of healthy reef life and amazing underwater topography) meant Mike and I were keen to get in the water.
Our introduction to the diving around Alonissos was at the Agios Georgios Pinnacles, in the channel between Alonissos and Skopelos. This fantastic site was named “The Chimney,’ and proved to have a huge amount to see. We got to a decent depth here (over 25m), and marvelled at a colourful reef wall with a wonderful swim through whose rocky walls were absolutely covered with life. As well as brilliant topography there was no shortage of macro life here. We saw numerous nudibranchs, five different species in total. The second dive at Mourtias reef nearby was a shallower dive along a nice wall with lots of crevices. Several moray eels and grouper called this site home. We enjoyed looking in the crevices for lobster and smaller benthic life, such as cup corals and tunicates.
Our itinerary allowed us two dives a day with afternoons left to explore the island with our hire car and evenings to enjoy the famous Greek hospitality. This proved to be a lovely mix of in-water and land based diversions.
The next days diving to the Gorgonian Gardens and Triton’s Cave was to be even better! These two stunning sites are nothing short of fabulous. The Gorgonian Gardens was a deep wall near to the Agios Georgios islands. The ever-present currents in this deep channel meant that the sea life was amazing … the namesake Gorgonian sea fans dotted the wall at a depth of 30 to 50 meters, getting ever larger the deeper we went. Above 30m was by no means less beautiful, with sponges, corals, scorpionfish, moray eels and some rare and colourful nudibranchs.
The second shallower dive of the day was to Triton’s Cave or the Cavern of Skopelos, on the east side of that island. The spectacular rock formations had wild striations both above and below the water making a truly epic topography. The cavern entrance was at 14m, and big enough for a buddy pair, winding up to 6m and passing two beautiful windows out into the blue. Emerging from the cavern, the light at the shallower depths and the incredible rock formations made for a fantastic gentle swimming safety stop and we all surfaced by the boat with massive grins.
Check out our next blog :Alonissos: The complete diving destination (Part 2)” to hear about our amazing dive on the 2500 year old Peristera Wreck!
Thanks to:
Alonissos Triton Dive Center https://bestdivingingreece.com/
Albedo Travel https://alonissosholidays.com/activities/
Paradise Hotel https://paradise-hotel.gr/
Alonissos Municipality https://alonissos.gr/en/
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