News
Latest Worldwide travel deals from Oonasdivers
Hot off the heels of their Red Sea offers from last week (which you can check here), UK-based tour operator Oonasdivers have now sent their worldwide scuba diving travel deals over.
Here are the details:
Oonasdivers | South Africa from £1295
Get up close and personal with some of the world’s most magnificent creatures…… SHARKS.
Shark Diving South Africa – Scuba Addicts Lodge
October 2015
10 – 17 Oct only £1320
January 2016
23 – 30 Jan only £1295
February 2016
20 – 27 Feb 2016 only £1295
Prices are per person and include flights, transfers, 6 nights B&B and 10 Shark Dives.
Find out more here.
Oonasdivers | Maldives | Liveaboards from £1540
Explore one of the world’s best scuba diving destinations in comfort and style. Join one of Oonasdivers’ popular Maldives liveaboards and pick the itinerary that suits you.
July 2015
31 Jul – 08 Aug – Emperor Atoll (Manta, Whaleshark & Wrecks) only £1815
August 2015
07 – 15 Aug – Emperor Atoll (Manta, Whaleshark & Reefs) £1700
07 – 15 Aug – Emperor Voyager (The Best of the Maldives) £1675
14 – 22 Aug – Emperor Atoll (The Best of the Maldives) £1550
14 – 22 Aug – Emperor Voyager (The Best of the Maldives) £1760
21 – 29 Aug – Emperor Atoll (Manta, Whaleshark & Wrecks) £1650
21 – 29 Aug – Emperor Voyager (The Best of the Maldives) £1755
28 Aug – 05 Sep – Emperor Atoll (Manta, Whaleshark & Reefs) £1570
September 2015
18 – 26 Sep – Emperor Voyager (The Best of the Maldives) £1820
October 2015
9 – 17 Oct – Emperor Voyager (The Best of the Maldives) £1785
30 Oct – 07 Nov – Emperor Atoll (The Best of the Maldives) £1610
November 2015
27 Nov – 05 Dec – Emperor Atoll (The Best of the Maldives) only £1650
27 Nov – 05 Dec – Emperor Voyager (The Best of the Maldives) only £1750
December 2015
04 – 12 Dec – Emperor Atoll (The Best of the Maldives) only £1650
04 – 12 Dec – Emperor Voyager (The Best of the Maldives) only £1820
11 – 19 Dec – Emperor Atoll (The Best of the Maldives) only £1925
11 – 19 Dec – Emperor Voyager (The Best of the Maldives) only £2025
18 – 26 Dec – Emperor Atoll (The Best of the Maldives) only £2105
18 – 26 Dec – Emperor Voyager (The Best of the Maldives) only £2280
May 2016
06 – 14 May – Emperor Atoll (Pelagic Magic) only £1540
06 – 14 May – Emperor Voyager (The Best of the Maldives) only £1610
13 – 21 May – Emperor Atoll (Pelagic Magic) only £1540
13 – 21 May – Emperor Voyager (The Best of the Maldives) only £1590
20 – 28 May – Emperor Atoll (Pelagic Magic) only £1540
20 – 28 May – Emperor Voyager (The Best of the Maldives) only £1590
27 May – 04 Jun – Emperor Atoll (Pelagic Magic) only £1540
27 May – 04 Jun – Emperor Voyager (The Best of the Maldives) only £1590
June 2016
03 – 11 June – Emperor Atoll (Pelagic Magic) only £1540
03 – 11 June – Emperor Voyager (The Best of the Maldives) only £1590
Prices are per person and include flights, transfers, 7 nights full board, 17 dives and FREE Nitrox.
Find out more here.
Oonasdivers | Caribbean | Tobago from £1015
Fancy a diving holiday with a difference? Sample the true Caribbean in Tobago – soak up the islands warm atmosphere whilst diving in the colourful waters. Perfect for non-divers too.
Toucan Inn
The friendly and relaxed Toucan Inn provides great value for money. Just a short walk away from the most beautiful beaches in Tobago, and a good choice of restaurants and bars.
September 2015
04 – 11 Sep only £1040
07 – 14 Sep only £1015
11 – 18 Sep only £1040
14 – 21 Sep only £1015
18 – 25 Sep only £1040
21 – 28 Sep only £1015
25 Sep – 02 Oct only £1040
28 Sep – 05 Oct only £1015
October 2015
02 – 09 Oct only £1040
05 – 12 Oct only £1015
09 – 16 Oct only £1040
12 – 19 Oct only £1015
16 – 23 Oct only £1040
Price includes flights, transfers, 7 nights B&B and 10 dives with Undersea Tobago.
Blue Waters Inn
Tobago’s best kept secret, Blue Waters Inn is perfectly located in Speyside. Access the top dive sites whilst enjoying the beauty of your surroundings.
September 2015
04 – 11 Sep only £1175
07 – 14 Sep only £1150
11 – 18 Sep only £1175
14 – 21 Sep only £1150
18 – 25 Sep only £1175
21 – 28 Sep only £1150
25 Sep – 02 Oct only £1175
28 Sep – 05 Oct only £1150
October 2015
02 – 09 Oct only £1175
05 – 12 Oct only £1150
09 – 16 Oct only £1175
12 – 19 Oct only £1150
16 – 23 Oct only £1175
Prices are per person and include flights, transfers, 7 nights B&B and 10 dives including full equipment.
Find out more here.
Oonasdivers | Sudan | Royal Evolution from £2595
Embark on an adventure into the pristine Sudanese waters. Join one of the most sophisticated liveaboards in the Red Sea for her extended 13 day cruise.
November 2015
25 Nov – 09 Dec – Abington Reef, Shaab Rumi & Umbria Wreck only £2595
February 2016
24 Feb – 09 Mar – Abington Reef, Shaab Rumi & Umbria Wreck only £2635
Prices are per person and include 14 nights full board and 12 days diving.
Find out more here.
Oonasdivers | Canary Islands | El Hierro from £680
Dive El Hierro with Shane Gray
El Hierro is the smallest of the Canary Islands, with an extraordinary and captivating landscape both above and below the water. This trip is fully guided by Shane Gray, a well-known figure in the Irish diving community, and his wife Ollie.
November 2015
09 – 16 Nov – Dive El Hierro £699
23 – 30 Nov – Dive El Hierro £680
February 2016
22 – 29 Feb – Dive El Hierro £685
Prices are per person and include flights, transfers, 7 nights self-catering and 10 dives.
Find out more here.
Oonasdivers | Malta & Gozo from £550
The most stunning diving in the Mediterranean, the rocky topography of the Maltese Islands means you can enjoy striking underwater scenery including caves, overhangs and swim throughs.
Combine this with good visibility, warm water, no tides and few currents, and you have a perfect combination for all divers.
Dive Malta
Explore the amazing underwater topography and the impressive collection of ship, plane and submarine wrecks. All with one of the top PADI and BSAC diving centres on the island, Maltaqua.
August 2015
13 – 20 Aug only £755
September 2015
06 – 13 Sep only £770
October 2015
04 – 11 Oct only £650
March 2016
05 – 12 Mar only £550
19 – 26 Mar only £570
Price includes flights, transfers, 7 nights self-catering at the Sands Apartments and 10 dives.
Discover Gozo
One of the most untouched and unique islands in the Mediterranean, Gozo retains its simple rural charm. Your diving will be with the only recognised BSAC and PADI approved centre in Gozo, the Calypso Dive Centre, who have been established for over 30 years.
September 2015
20 – 27 Sep only £755
October 2015
11 – 18 Oct only £670
Price includes flights, transfers, 7 nights B&B at the Calypso Hotel and 10 dives.
Find out more here.
onasdivers | Fiji | Save 10%
Fiji is home to the world’s 4th longest barrier reef, the Great Astrolobe Barrier Reef, offering 75 miles of pristine hard and soft corals.
Matava Resort
Find your spirit of adventure as you experience the magnificent beauty of a remote Fijian island. Matava offers a unique blend of eco lodges mixed with a touch of luxury.
October 2015 – May 2016
Save 10% on accommodation, diving and transfers, the equivalent of over £100 per person for a 7 night stay.
Find out more here.
To find out more or to book, contact the Oonasdivers team now by calling +44 (0)1323 648924, email info@oonasdivers.com or visit www.oonasdivers.com.
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
-
News3 months ago
Hone your underwater photography skills with Alphamarine Photography at Red Sea Diving Safari in March
-
News3 months ago
Capturing Critters in Lembeh Underwater Photography Workshop 2024: Event Roundup
-
Marine Life & Conservation Blogs2 months ago
Creature Feature: Swell Sharks
-
Blogs2 months ago
Murex Resorts: Passport to Paradise!
-
Blogs2 months ago
Diver Discovering Whale Skeletons Beneath Ice Judged World’s Best Underwater Photograph
-
Gear Reviews3 months ago
Gear Review: Oceanic+ Dive Housing for iPhone
-
Marine Life & Conservation2 months ago
Save the Manatee Club launches brand new webcams at Silver Springs State Park, Florida
-
Gear Reviews2 weeks ago
GEAR REVIEW – Revolutionising Diving Comfort: The Sharkskin T2 Chillproof Suit