News
Now is the time to dive Sharm with Diverse Travel
As direct flights return to Sharm from the UK, Diverse Travel’s Jim and Cary Yanny have been checking out the diving, hotels, local agents for pick-ups and drop-offs, and what guests can expect now that it’s a ‘go diving’ destination once again.
Diving with Emperor Divers who, “have been their usual stellar selves, Sharm’s diving is every bit as spectacular as when we left it all those years ago,” explains Jim Yanny. “Its coral gardens and walls are stunningly pretty and there is a huge variety of fish species within this expansive habitat. The reefs are generally as pristine as ever. What stands out is the clarity of the water and the explosion of colour. It’s the absolute definition of diving in a huge natural aquarium; masses of soft and hard coral and so many species of striking fishes making the reef their home. It’s incredibly serene and pretty and relaxing.”
Jim Yanny in Sharm
Expect to see a huge variety of fish including angelfish, butterflyfish and triggerfish set amongst gardens and walls of purple, yellow and red soft coral. Everywhere are masses of the Red Sea’s signature fish, the beautiful anthias; a living, swaying orange curtain covering the coral walls. Snow-white sandy gardens with coral-encrusted pinnacles, home to groupers, morays and damsel fish.
The Red Sea is perfect all year round with warm waters and not too far to fly. And it isn’t just for the diver; non-divers can also enjoy a wide choice of activities, hotels, shops, bars and restaurants set in a cosmopolitan atmosphere as well as camel rides and quad bike experiences in the desert with dinner with the Bedouins and stargazing.
Cary on board Empress Shorouk in Sharm
Turkish Airlines and EgyptAir offer regular indirect flights to Sharm. From December, hotel inclusive holidays will feature direct flights and from February direct flights with TUI Airlines, with departures from various airports around the UK, will be launched.
Diverse Travel has a ‘Sharmtastic’ offer for January 2020:
- Ghazala Beach Resort, Sharm el Sheikh
- 12 – 19 January 2020
Price from just £720* per person based on sharing a twin room including:
- Direct flights from London to Sharm el Sheikh with 20kgs baggage
- 7 nights in standard room
- Bed & Breakfast meal plan
- 5 days’ local reef day boat diving, guide, 12ltr tank & weights
*Marine Park fees payable locally
Diverse Travel’s ‘Happy Guarantee’ makes sure the team is offering the best price where they will match the cost of any identical diving holiday offered through another UK diving tour operator.
With over fifty years’ experience of dive travel, dive centre and resort management the team has the experience to deliver memorable holidays that benefit from full financial ATOL cover.
For more information visit www.diversetravel.co.uk/sharm-el-sheikh-diving-offer or call 01473 852002, or email info@diversetravel.co.uk.
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.
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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