News
Magic in Mauritius
Our first dive trip to Mauritius happened by chance when a couple of our good friends decided to get married and invited us to join them there for their wedding. We had heard from others that the diving was pretty good and so we excitedly booked to stay in the Lux* Grand Gaube hotel where the ceremony would be held. Before we left, we did some research on the various Dive centres that would be able to provide us with the diving we hoped to do whilst we were there.
The hotel itself supported a small DiveSail operation, but given the recent press on this particular company and the very high prices, we were keen to find a centre that would be more suited to our style of diving. Using the usual Google search I stumbled across the aptly named Dodo Divers, after the infamous extinct bird only found in Mauritius. Their website is very impressive due to the stunning photograph of the islands that surround Mauritius adorning the background (www.dododivers.com). They quote Mark Twain – “God created Mauritius first, and then made a copy which he called Heaven”, and they couldn’t be more right, especially when exploring the wonderful world beneath the Indian ocean. Within 24 hours of contacting Dodo Divers, I was emailed by the owner, Rose – a British woman from Peckham (south London, UK) who could not have been more helpful if she tried… and so our relationship with Dodo Divers began.
DIVE CENTRE
As underwater Photographers/Videographers, we travel to destinations that promise an abundance of life and interesting species we may not have seen before. Although we have been diving in the Indian Ocean previously, this was our first trip to Mauritius so we didn’t fully know what to expect from the diving. However, the moment we had finished the first dive we knew we had added another place to the list of top destinations.
Based in the North East, we were 1 hour’s drive from the airport and situated in the town of Grande Gaube. Dodo Divers was a 5-minute drive away in Calodyne so Rose came and collected us from the hotel and dropped us off afterwards making it the ideal spot for our trip.
The Dive centre itself is ideally situated for exploring the numerous dive sites in the North East including some of our favourites from the trip, Merville’s Patches, Anemone Garden, Grand Baie Aquarium and the impressive Silver Star wreck. The main building is right on the beach with changing facilities, wash tanks and a large table with lean-to roof out of the sun. The dive boat is perfectly set up with plenty of room for the equipment and kitting up whilst being sheltered by a canopy. There are no more than 14 people on it at any time ensuring you are comfortable both on and off the boat. The atmosphere is laid back and relaxed with everyone getting to know your names from the offset. This is not to say they don’t treat you like royalty though as you barely touch your kit or have to worry about anything since they take care of it all for you.
DIVE SITES
There is plenty to see in Mauritius and so much to capture on film. Richard had his Go-Pro Hero4 Black with Inon wide angle lens, and I had my Canon G7X in Nauticam housing with the Inon S-2000 strobe armed at the ready – for the first time ever my battery died on a 45 minute dive during this trip! Some of our favourite sites were:
Merville’s Patches – This dive consists of a series of coral filled reefs teaming with fish, but what makes this site unique is the abundance of moray eels that live here. Under almost every rock there were a plethora of Morays – we even found 3 squeezed in one tiny hole as shown in the image below:
There was a beautiful Anemone with a resident black Anemone Fish – both were just stunning. We were also shown the unusual Leaf Fish; magenta in colour, this little creature would easily go unseen as it could be mistaken for a piece of coral. It wasn’t until I reviewed my images that I also noticed a small Anemone crab in the top left corner, capturing all three beauties in one go.
Shark Safari (Round Island & Snake Island) – The first thing to point out about these islands is that the Round Island isn’t round, and Snake Island doesn’t have any snakes – all the snakes live on Round Island. Go figure that one out! These 2 small islands can be found a 60 min boat ride away from the North East coast. The main draw for these waters, that are rich in oxygen from the pulsating currents, are the sharks. This two dive safari set in a scene of huge wall drops offs and giant overhangs, that wouldn’t be out of place in the film Jurassic Park, did not fail to deliver. White tip and grey reef sharks can be found cruising these waters which are beautifully decorated with giant fan corals. If you’re serious about scuba diving then this is a must!
Silver Star Wreck – The Silver Star is a 57m fishing trawler that sank in 1987. She sits on a sandy bottom at 42m deep, and interestingly is the only shipwreck in the waters of Mauritius to still have her giant and very impressing propeller still intact. It seems all other wrecks have had theirs salvaged for the scrap value, so seeing her in all her glory made this dive all the more special. Because of the depth we had 15l tanks, and planned a dive with 6 mins of deco which was needed to cover this impressive wreck. Plenty to see on this dive from the giant propeller, penetration through the wreck revealing shoals of fish hiding in the dark, to the abundance of marine life that can be found on the deck, all the way up to the hard coral that has formed on the top of the mast.
Grand Baie Aquarium – We were joined by our newly married friends (Silpa and Scott) on this dive which made it all the more special. A shallow dive of just 13m, you never know where to look as there is life literally everywhere! Shoals of Sgt Majors, Trumpet fish, baby Crocodile fish, and Leaf fish adorn the reefs brightly lit by the warm Mauritian sun. Without a doubt, the highlight being the most stunning and vivid purplish/red Anemone with their resident fish. Huge barrel looking things that look as though they’re made of the finest velvet – just stunning and have never seen anything like it anywhere!
Anemone Garden – As the name would suggest, this dive site is littered with Anenomes, but, and this is a big but, what we found will forever remain in my memory. In amongst the vivid coloured anemone that dominates the reef was the most beautiful white anemone – in all of the dives we have done around the world this was a first for us. Such a very special moment to remember!
HIGHLIGHTS
Global Underwater Explorers – After recently undergoing fundamentals and technical GUE training, Dodo Divers is now the first dive centre in the Indian Ocean to offer GUE courses, with hopes of one day being the first GUE accredited centre. GUE (Global Underwater Explorers) is a world renowned high-level technical diving organisation geared towards training highly skilled technical divers, as well as putting emphasis on conservation and exploration work. Brining GUE to Mauritius will attract a whole new calibre of divers, and opens up the as-yet largely undiscovered world of technical diving in the Indian Ocean. You can find more about GUE on their website: www.gue.com
Community work – In addition to the above, Rose and the team are working with a local marine conservation NGO, supported by Government ministers and ministries, on a project to generate greater awareness amongst Mauritian youths about the importance of marine life conservation efforts in Mauritius. As part of the project, over the next year, Dodo Divers will have groups of Mauritian school children between the ages of 10-15 coming to learn to dive with them in an effort to open their eyes to the beauty of the underwater world that surrounds their Island. Rose says “We hope that by learning to dive, they will be able to relate more with the conservation workshops that the NGO are organising”. Just this week they had an MBC – Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation – press launch of the project.
Dodo Divers Team – It wasn’t just the quality of diving that impressed us but also the fantastic team at Dodo Divers. All the reviews say the same thing: they go out of their way to make your experience special, and that’s exactly what they did for us. A particular shout out to Anthony – one of the best dive guides we have ever come across. A friendly, intelligent Mauritian local, his air of authority is balanced with his likeability and humour meaning you trust him implicitly to provide fun whilst ensuring your safety. Anthony, also an accomplished photographer himself, was taking some really impressive photos with a compact camera. The other members of the team, Nadeem, Chang, Pascal, Manisha and the owner Rose were equally fantastic and made our diving truly exceptional, and we seem to have returned home with a newfound love of Justin Beiber – what can we say other than “I’m sorry”!
From the minute we arrived at Dodo Divers, to the emotional farewell at the end of the week, we felt at home with this incredible group of people. They took care of everything and tailored the diving to our likes and requests meaning we enjoyed every single one. The world is a big place and has so much to offer – we have a list of dive destinations as long as Richard’s XL wetsuit that we wish to visit. With this in mind, we rarely plan to return to somewhere we have already visited – well until now that is. Hand on heart we will return not only to Mauritius to visit these beautiful waters but to Dodo Divers to visit what we can only describe as our new home from home.
OVERALL
We can’t write enough words to express how impressed we were with Dodo Divers. Not only do we feel like we’ve had the most amazing diving experience in Mauritius, but we feel like we have made friends in the process. Magical Mauritius has stolen our hearts and we will 100% be coming back in the future, without a doubt diving again with Dodo Divers!
Five beautiful black mantas for Dodo Divers!
Find out more about Hayley and Richard’s adventures at www.blackmantaphotography.com.
Blogs
Join Pharaoh Dive Club for Red Sea Splash Family Summer Camp in August 2024
3rd AUGUST 2024 – 1 or 2 WEEK PROGRAMMES
Daily water programme with Snorkelling & Scuba Diving.
Beginners or qualified, something for all.
Leave the kids with the Splash Team for days of Excitement, Fun & Adventure!
BOOK NOW: INFO@PHARAOHDIVECLUB.COM / TEL: +44 7598 329059 or +20 100 6822000
There are various options for accommodation with options for 2, 3, 4 or 5 guests.
Eco Huts provide accommodation for families of up to 4. The best option to enhance the adventure and closest to camping with basic facilities. For August we will provide central air cooling for all the Eco Huts.
Deluxe Chalets are only suitable for 2 guests. Fully air conditioned rooms with private bathroom and other facilities.
Boutique Rooms are available for families of up to 5.
Individual bespoke rooms fully air conditioned with private bathroom and other facilities.
Eco Huts: £675 per adult / £425 per child / Under 8 FREE of charge
Deluxe Chalet: £830 per adult / £505 per child / Under 8 FREE of charge
Boutique Room: £925 per adult / £550 per child / Under 8 FREE of charge
BOOK NOW: INFO@PHARAOHDIVECLUB.COM / TEL: +44 7598 329059 or +20 100 6822000
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
Cultural Activities – Orienteering Adventures
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.
BOOK NOW: INFO@PHARAOHDIVECLUB.COM / TEL: +44 7598 329059 or +20 100 6822000
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.
BOOK NOW: INFO@PHARAOHDIVECLUB.COM / TEL: +44 7598 329059 or +20 100 6822000
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.
BOOK NOW: INFO@PHARAOHDIVECLUB.COM / TEL: +44 7598 329059 or +20 100 6822000
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
Meet Pure Dive Resort: Your Gateway to Unforgettable Diving in Bali, Indonesia
If you’re passionate about the underwater world, listen up! We’ve got an incredible opportunity for you to experience the vibrant reefs and majestic marine life of Nusa Penida, Bali, Indonesia.
info@purediveresort.com / +62 811 3999852 / www.purediveresort.com
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.
info@purediveresort.com / +62 811 3999852 / www.purediveresort.com
Whether you’re a seasoned diver or completely new to the sport, Pure Dive Resort has something for you:
For certified Divers: Discover stunning dive sites, encounter manta rays, seasonal mola-mola (sunfish), and a dazzling array of marine life.
For beginners: Embark on your scuba journey with beginner programs like Try Scuba and Basic Diver, Open Water and Advanced certifications.
Freedivers: Explore the depths on a single breath with guided freediving experiences and courses.
Exclusive Scubaverse Offer: Save on Your Next Adventure
As a valued Scubaverse follower, you get an exclusive 10% discount on any Dive & Stay or Learn & Stay package booked at Pure Dive Resort for 2024. Dive into the crystal-clear waters, explore breath-taking reefs, and create unforgettable memories in this diver’s paradise.
Visit https://www.purediveresort.com/package-offers/ to explore amazing packages and claim your discount with the code: SCUBAVERSE10
info@purediveresort.com / +62 811 3999852 / www.purediveresort.com
Ready to make a splash?
See you in Nusa Penida!
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