News
It’s Great to be back in Sharm
It has been too long since Nick and I have dived in Sharm El Sheikh, and so we jumped at the chance to come back this week. We are diving with Camel Dive Club for the next week or so, and our first two days of diving have really re-ignited our love for this place. Whilst there are still no direct flights from the UK to Sharm, getting here is not difficult, with flights via Cairo and also various European hubs. The team at Camel have been assisting UK divers with finding the best route, and it is great to see people returning to this must-do diving destination.
Sharm offers incredible land-based diving, with iconic sites such as Ras Mohamed and the Thistlegorm within easy reach of a day boat, as well as great shore diving for those wanting a more relaxed pace. So far, we have visited Gordon’s Reef, Wodehouse, Shark & Yolanda, the wreck of the Dunraven and Ras Ghozlani, and we have only been here for two days! We have another week of diving and will be sending regular reports back for our Scubaverse readers throughout.
The reefs are in superb condition, with coral growth and marine life thriving at the moment. If you have not been here for a while, then you, like us, may have forgotten the way the reef pulses with the movement of the bright orange and pink anthias. Turtles patrol the soft corals, looking for their favourite snacks, while huge moray eels sway in the gentle currents. The visibility is fantastic and the water is a gorgeous deep blue. It is winter here too, and so whilst the water is not cold, it is cooler than in the summer at 23/24 °C. You will probably need some warm clothes to change into on the surface too, as the wind can make the boat rides cool. However, the winter sun and a cup of tea will soon warm you up.
Another thing you forget is just how friendly and warm the locals are here. The boat crew at Camel are no exception, always ready to give you a hand and a smile. Nothing is too much trouble, and today, their reactions to a potential camera flood was outstanding – with quick actions and plenty of dry towels to hand as soon as they knew we had an issue. Thankfully, all is now well!
Watch out for more posts from us about our diving and the dive site details & descriptions in coming days…
www.egypt.travel/diving-in-egypt
For more from Nick and Caroline visit www.frogfishphotography.com.
Blue O Two and their friends at WWDAS have announced their second instalment of the 21 Itineraries campaign. It celebrates their wonderful staff contributions and highlights some of their favourite SCUBA diving liveaboard itineraries.
With many of them having an in-depth knowledge of the destinations, liveaboards and itineraries, who better to ask than the staff themselves? Some have extensive SCUBA diving experience, and others are beginners. This helps to give every diver out there an idea of which SCUBA diving experience would best suit them.
A top destination for many, Egypt is definitely one of the favourites. This time they focus on the Deep South itinerary, which ticks all the boxes for any diver wanting to cave dive, see thriving reefs and corals, enjoy breath-taking drop-offs, shark sightings and a vast array of marine life.
Photo by Simon Lorenz
Second on their staff’s SCUBA diving bucket-list this month is the Central Atolls itinerary in the Maldives. This 7 night SCUBA diving adventure delights with an abundance of marine life, coral gardens and drift diving. Not only is this the perfect destination for underwater photographers but you can also book yourself onto one of their PADI courses too.
Photo by Simon Lorenz
Last but not least, we are introduced to the beautiful Bahamas. Bustling with lemon sharks, Caribbean reef sharks, tiger sharks, great hammerheads, nurse sharks and the occasional bull shark, this itinerary is definitely for… you’ve guessed it, those shark lovers out there.
To start ticking off SCUBA diving bucket-lists and seek inspiration, check out their website for more information here: https://blog.blueotwo.com/21-itineraries-for-2021
Blue O Two and Master Liveaboards specialise in SCUBA diving liveaboard holidays, throughout 15 destinations, world-wide. Their specialist SCUBA diving liveaboard trips cater for all levels of diver, from beginner to advanced. Whether you are looking for the rocky landscape of the Galapagos to the white sands and crystal waters of the Maldives, the range of itineraries catered for is vast, offering different experiences, to ensure everyone’s SCUBA diving holiday needs are covered.
Visit the Blue O Two website at www.blueotwo.com
Header photo by Robert Wilpernig
Marine Life & Conservation
Jeff chats to… Chloe Hurst, overall winner of the See You at the Sea Festival Film Competition (Watch Video)
In this exclusive Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-large, chats to Chloe Hurst, winner of the See You at the Sea Festival Film Competition.The See you at the Sea Festival was an online film festival created by young people, for young people.
Chloe’s film – Waves of Change – can be seen here:
Second in a series of six videos about the competition. Watch the first video HERE with Jenn Sandiford – Youth Engagement Officer with the Your Shore Beach Rangers Project and the Cornwall Wildlife Trust – to find out more about the Competition. Each day this week we will be sharing one video in which Jeff talks with the young contestants about their films and what inspired them.
For more information please visit:
- Project website: www.beachrangers.com
- Cornwall Wildlife Trust: www.cornwallwildlifetrust.com
- Cornwall College: www.cornwall.ac.uk
- Our Bright Future: www.ourbrightfuture.co.uk
WIN an Envirus Everyday+ Mask from Sharkskin – 5 up for grabs!!!
For this week’s competition, we’ve teamed up with our good friends at Liquid Sports to give away five Envirus Everyday+ Masks, which...
WIN a PADI eLearning Course – 5 courses up for grabs!!!
From 1-25 December, our good friends at PADI® will donate 10% of your PADI eLearning® purchase to support the Project AWARE® Dive Against...
WIN a Beuchat Air Light Bag!!!
For this week’s competition, we’ve teamed up with our good friends at Beuchat to give away an Air Light Bag!...
WIN a Bigblue AL-1200NP Dive Torch!!!
For this week’s competition, we’ve teamed up with our good friends at Liquid Sports to give away a Bigblue AL-1200NP Dive...
This is the perfect start to your 2021 diving season… and at an incredible lead-in price of just £885 per person.
Jump on board the latest addition to the Emperor fleet and enjoy diving the famous sites of the Red Sea with this fantastic special offer. This itinerary takes in the wonderful South & St Johns from 26 February – 05 March 2021.
Subject to availability – limited flight seats at this price so don't delay!
Call Diverse Travel on 01473 852002 or email info@diversetravel.co.uk to book your spot!
More Less
Competitions3 months agoWIN one of the NEW Momentum M20 Dive Watches!!!
Competitions2 months agoWIN a Northern Diver NDB5 Holdall Bag!!!
Gear News3 months agoBreaking News: Garmin Descent Mk2 & Mk2i Launch & Review (Watch Video)
Competitions2 months agoWIN a Fourth Element Arctic Hoodie!!!
- Competitions1 month ago
WIN a PADI eLearning Course – 5 courses up for grabs!!!
Gear News3 months agoMomentum announce new M20 series of watches
Gear Reviews2 months agoEquipment Review: NEW Garmin Descent Mk2i Dive Computer (Watch Video)
Dive Training Blogs3 months agoDeptherapy returns to its Roots – Part 7