News
Exclusive Tobago offer from Regaldive and Extra Divers
There’s never been a better time to visit Tobago. With spectacular drift diving, outstanding coral formations and nutrient-rich waters that explode with marine life, Tobago is fast becoming one of Regaldive’s most popular destinations. Add to this the contrasting choice of Atlantic or Caribbean diving, renowned Caribbean hospitality and a range of great value resorts and flight options, and Tobago really does tick the perfect holiday box for every diver.
Regaldive guests booking their 2015 holiday before 30th June 2015 can save up to £100 off Tobago holidays when diving with Extra Divers and staying at the Nabucco’s Resort Speyside Inn. This attractive and popular divers’ hotel is located at the edge of Speyside village and offers amazing views across the water to the nature reserves of Little Tobago and Goat Island. Guests looking for more luxury should consider the beautiful boutique hotel Blue Waters Inn, also close to Speyside, and they can still benefit from 10% saving on five day dive packages when diving with Extra Divers.
Guests staying in Speyside will find themselves right in the thick of the best Atlantic diving action. The concentration of over 20 excellent dive sites just a few minutes boat ride from Speyside has made Tobago’s reputation as a dive destination. Kelleston Drain / Little Tobago Drift is a favourite dive on the island and offers one of the best chances of seeing Manta Rays, as well as a close-up view of what is considered to be the world’s largest brain coral. Similarly, the reef at Japanese Gardens is packed with corals, swirling reef fish and sponges of all types and is named after its numerous sea whip corals which resemble bonsai trees. This exceptionally pretty site is a justifiable reward after a thrilling passage carried along by the brisk current through a crevasse at the so-called Kamikaze Cut.
Regaldive guests diving with Extra Divers will benefit from the team’s many years’ experience on Tobago and can also dive some of the highlights of the Caribbean coast with Extra Divers sister operation at the other end of the island. Dive packs can be split across the two centres and Regaldive can offer 10% saving on diving packages at Extra Divers Black Rock which is located at the Grafton Beach Resort on Stonehaven Beach, a short drive from the tourist hub of Crown Point.
Tobago has not developed as rapidly as some other Caribbean islands and divers looking for a laidback and unspoilt destination will find much to enthral. The island offers plenty of opportunity to enjoy spectacular natural wonders above water, as well as below, with lush rainforests, picturesque waterfalls and incredible birdlife. With new flight options* and resort developments, there’s no doubt that tourism to Tobago is on the up… just be sure to book a holiday there soon to catch the magic.
For further information or to book, visit www.regaldive.co.uk or call +44 (0)1353 659999.
*Virgin Atlantic has resumed flights to Tobago from London Gatwick Airport since March 2015. Departures are weekly between March and October, and twice weekly between October and March. Flights to Tobago are also available from the UK with British Airways.
Gear News
Scubapro Free Octopus Promotion 2024
Free Octopus with every purchase of a SCUBAPRO regulator system
Just in time for the spring season, divers can save money with the FREE OCTOPUS SPRING PROMOTION! Until July 31st SCUBAPRO offers an Octopus for free
with every purchase of a regulator system!
Get a free S270 OCTOPUS with purchase of these combinations:
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with A700
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with S620Ti
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with D420
MK25 EVO Din mit S620Ti-X
Get a free R105 OCTOPUS with purchase of the following combinations:
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with G260
MK25 EVO or MK17 EVO with S600
SCUBAPRO offers a 30-year first owner warranty on all regulators, with a revision period of two years or 100 dives. All SCUBAPRO regulators are of course certified according to the new European test standard EN250-2014.
Available at participating SCUBAPRO dealers. Promotion may not be available in all regions. Find an authorized SCUBAPRO Dealer at scubapro.com.
More information available on www.scubapro.com.
Blogs
Northern Red Sea Reefs and Wrecks Trip Report, Part 3: The Mighty Thistlegorm
Jake Davies boards Ghazala Explorer for an unforgettable Red Sea diving experience…
Overnight, the wind picked up, making the planned morning dive a bit bumpy on the Zodiacs to the drop point on Thomas Reef. There, we would dive along the reef before descending through the canyon and then passing under the arch before ascending the wall with a gentle drift. The site provided great encounters with more pelagic species, including shoals of large barracuda, tuna, and bigeye trevally.
Once back on the boat, it was time to get everything tied down again as we would head back south. This time, with the wind behind us, heading to Ras Mohammed to dive Jackfish Alley for another great gentle drift wall dive before then heading up the coast towards the Gulf of Suez to moor up at the wreck of the Thistlegorm. This being the highlight wreck dive of the trip and for many onboard, including myself, it was the first time diving this iconic wreck. I had heard so much about the wreck from friends, and globally, this is a must on any diver’s list. Fortunately for us, there was only one other boat at the site, which was a rarity. A great briefing was delivered by Ahmed, who provided a detailed background about the wreck’s history along with all the required safety information as the currents and visibility at the site can be variable.
Kitting up, there was a lot of excitement on deck before entering the water and heading down the shoreline. Descending to the wreck, there was a light northerly current which reduced the visibility, making it feel more like the conditions that can be found off the Welsh coast. At 10m from the bottom, the outline of the wreck appeared as we reached the area of the wreck which had been bombed, as our mooring line was attached to part of the propeller shaft. Arriving on deck, instantly everywhere you looked there were many of the supplies which the ship was carrying, including Bren Carrier tanks and projectiles that instantly stood out.
We headed around the exterior, taking a look at the large propeller and guns mounted on deck before entering the wreck on the port side to take a look in the holds. It was incredible to see all the trucks, Norton 16H, and BSA motorcycles still perfectly stacked within, providing a real snapshot in time.
Overall, we had four dives on the Thistlegorm, where for all of the dives we were the only group in the water, and at times, there were just three of us on the whole wreck, which made it even more special, especially knowing that most days the wreck has hundreds of divers. Along with the history of the wreck, there was plenty of marine life on the wreck and around, from big green turtles to batfish, along with shoals of mackerel being hunted by trevally. Some unforgettable dives.
The final leg of the trip saw us cross back over the Suez Canal to the Gobal Islands where we planned to stay the night and do three dives at the Dolphin House for the potential of sharing the dive with dolphins. The site, which included a channel that was teeming with reef fish, especially large numbers of goatfish that swam in large shoals along the edge of the reef. These were nice relaxing dives to end the week. Unfortunately, the dolphins didn’t show up, which was okay as like all marine life they are difficult to predict and you can’t guarantee what’s going to be seen. With the last dive complete, we headed back to port for the final night where it was time to clean all the kit and pack before the departure flight the next day.
The whole week from start to finish on Ghazala Explorer was amazing; the boat had all the facilities you need for a comfortable week aboard. The crew were always there to help throughout the day and the chefs providing top quality food which was required after every dive. The itinerary providing some of the best diving with a nice mixture of wreck and reef dives. I would recommend the trip to anyone, whether it’s your first Red Sea liveaboard in the Red Sea or you’re revisiting. Hopefully, it’s not too long before I head back to explore more of the Red Sea onboard Ghazala Explorer.
To find out more about the Northern Red Sea reef and wrecks itineraries aboard Ghazala Explorer, or to book, contact Scuba Travel now:
Email: dive@scubatravel.com
Tel: +44 (0)1483 411590
Photos: Jake Davies / Avalon.Red
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