Blogs
‘Simply the Best’ – Quintessential Red Sea Diving
A ‘Simply the Best’ itinerary with Scuba Travel is the perfect blend of relaxing diving, coupled with a more adrenalin fuelled adventure. By now, I should hope you have read my previous blog, Simply the Best – a shark lover’s dream!!! Detailing the amazing adventure we had at the offshore reefs as part of the itinerary. If you haven’t read it, then you can find it here. Like any good book, there’s always a beginning, middle and end, and that is how this trip went. The offshore adventure in the middle was straddled either side by some super relaxing but super enjoyable quintessential Red Sea reef diving closer to shore, a perfect support cast for Brothers, Daedalus and Elphinstone.
The trip started with a couple of check-dives at Gota Abu Ramada. A night dive was also on the itinerary, but the weather wasn’t playing ball, so we made the journey to Brothers earlier to get a good mooring spot. Ultimately, it was our decision based off the captains advise and when nature has its own plans, you have to go with the experts. It was a shame to miss a night dive, as I always love night dives, but the 2 dives at Gota Abu Ramada were a great introduction to the week and couldn’t have been any easier to break me back into diving after a 5-month hiatus. we cruised the sandy bottom, exploring all the coral out-crops full of life. I always make a beeline for the coral pinnacles and play a game of spot the lionfish resting amongst them during the day. They’re so full of life and the anthias surrounding them are mesmerising to watch.
Somewhat surprisingly, I only saw one blue spotted stingray during the 2 dives here. On the sandy bottom dives, I normally spot them a lot more frequently. However, on these particular dives, the giant morays were the stars of the show, with one peppered moray also joining the list. A number of them were seen during the 2 dives and one was seen snaking its way along the sand before putting the brakes on in front of me and hypnotising me with its movements. As we came to the end of the diving here, I saw the biggest moray eel I’ve ever seen, which is saying something, as I’ve seen a lot in my diving life. Its girth was incredible. The dives here finished up with a couple of swimming lionfish and a large scorpion fish on the sand. You can’t get anymore Red Sea than this start to the trip.
After the amazing few days on the offshore reefs, we made our way back towards land one dive early to avoid Elphintone’s crowds and get a dive in at Abu Dabab 2. I remember this dive and the shallow cave/cavern exploration from 2 years previously. Such a fun dive with a twist from the usual. We started the dive at the wreck of the ‘Heaven One’ at only 14/15 metres, and the dive doesn’t get any deeper than that really. Although there is not much left of the wreck, it does provide some nooks and crannies for critters to hide out. I soon saw my second blue spotted stingray of the trip (I do love them), before heading to the entrance of the cave system on the reef’s edge. While I didn’t spend as long exploring them this time, it was a great change from the usual, and with a couple of tight squeezes to contend with, I felt like a cave explorer for a short moment, and the shards of light piercing through the reef were awe-inspiring.
After the one dive at Abu Dabab, we moved onto Ras Torombi for more stunning reefs and sandy bottom heaven, starting with an afternoon dive before our one and only night dive of the trip. There was so much beautiful coral on this dive, with the stunning hard coral along the larger reef walls in the shallows and the intense colours of the soft coral on the pinnacles. This was another shallow dive, only around 15m maximum, with the friendliest porcupine puffer fish I’ve ever encountered; it was also huge – one of the biggest I’ve seen.
I switched to macro for the night dive in the hope I’d find some cool little critters. Some of the group managed to find a couple of octopus that put on an amazing show for them. While I was sad to miss out on one of my favourite critter species, I did manage to find the smallest nudibranch I’ve ever seen in the Red Sea – it was only the size of my little fingernail. That was it for the really small though and it was more a night dive for lionfish, blue spotted stingrays and moray eels. I was very happy to get a night dive in, I always love them.
Unfortunately the weather didn’t get better like we hoped. In fact, it got worse for our last night’s crossing to return to Hurghada. It meant it took a lot longer than usual and we missed out on catching up on that dive we missed at the start of the week. That’s nature for you though, and you have to respect it and stay safe. So our last day finished with 2 dives; visiting Abu Ramada Island and Small Giftun. Abu Ramada was my favourite inshore dive of the trip. A super relaxed bimble along the sandy bottom, with an array of life to marvel at and photograph. A large scorpionfish started the adventure, but it was a rather large titan triggerfish that stole the show. I’m starting to repeat myself here, but it was another first for me – for a triggerfish to be so calm and allow many a photo to be taken. It was so transfixed on grinding away at the coral that it was unmoved at our presence – even coming right up to my lens at times – and it was my choice to leave him, rather than him leave me after I got the shots. More coral pinnacles spotting the lionfish and a relaxed blue spotted stingray finished up an excitingly peaceful dive.
Small Giftun gave us one last chance at hitting some depth and changing it up from the sandy bottoms of inshore diving, even if it was only for the first 10 minutes of the dive. Dropping down the wall to around 30m, we marvelled at the pristine gorgonian fan corals that thrive in the area; single fan corals dwarfing you as you get close, with anthias framing them as they dart around the different fans. A pleasure to see such healthy coral, before venturing around the corner of the island and hitting the sandy bottom and coral out-crops for one last time of the trip. Scorpionfish, blue spotted stingrays, a crocodile fish and moray eels gave us a great send off. With a number of small schools of Red Sea banner fish hugging the wall as we shallowed up, a swimming scorpionfish startling me as I watched the banner fish providing the last hurrah of the trip. All too soon it was the final safety stop and back onboard to clean our kit and dry it out.
What a fantastic week I had exploring the Red Sea from Hurghada onboard M/Y Tranquility on Scuba Travel’s ‘Simply the Best’ itinerary – the perfect mix of adventurous diving with some bigger marine life and the relaxing shallow sandy bottom reefs. I really got my shark fix for the year with the abundance of oceanic whitetip sharks that greeted us on a number of dives. They really are one of my favourites, and the Red Sea continues to be a beautiful destination to get underwater. I’ll be back!!!
For more information about diving in the Red Sea:
+44 (0)1483 411590
It’s time to catch up with 12-year-old Mia DaPonte, New England’s youngest ever female PADI Master Scuba Diver, in her latest blog for Scubaverse!
It’s still a little too cold to get in the water here in New England. I wish I had a drysuit! To get my ocean fix, I asked my mom to take me and my friends to the Biomes Marine Biology Center.
What is Biomes? It’s a rescue center near my house that’s home to all kinds of ocean animals—and they’re all local! It’s truly awesome to experience. There are so many cool creatures there, like skates, sharks, stingrays, horseshoe crabs, tropical fish, lobsters, seahorses, octopuses, and even some reptiles that were given up by their owners.
Darwin the turtle is always fun to watch. He’s huge and has his own home, but he also gets to wander around the place on his own when he feels like it!
They have lots of touch tanks. I got to touch sharks, turtles, and even hold a horseshoe crab! (There’s a little lip on the side of their shell where you can hold them—but don’t do this without permission! Their gills always need to stay in the water.) I also touched stingrays! They felt slimy but rough at the same time.
One of my favorite things to do is see the octopus and watch it play with the toys in its tank. I always check to see if any seahorses are pregnant and look for the babies when they’re born. The babies are kept in their own tank at first to stay safe, and then moved when they’re big enough.
We got lucky this time—there was a baby skate in a mermaid’s purse that was ready to hatch any day! It was in a special tank with a light. When you press the button, the light turns on so you can see the baby skate moving around inside the purse!
As our visit was ending, the owner, Mark, sat down with us and told us how he started Biomes. When he was 14 years old, he began rescuing sea animals. His love for the ocean started when he was young—just like mine! As he got older, he started a traveling business, bringing animals to classrooms and doing shows. Eventually, he turned it into something bigger, and now Biomes is a huge center full of rescued animals.
He told us that most of the fish and animals are rescued from fishing boats or the cold waters of New England—places where tropical fish wouldn’t survive the winter. They try to rescue babies whenever they can, so they have a better chance of adapting. Darwin the turtle actually hatched in Mark’s hand!
My mom gets a pass to Biomes every year because I love going there so much. There are always new animals to see and feedings to watch. One time, I even got to feed the octopus!
If you ever come to Rhode Island, you have to check out Biomes!
Main Image: Bart Heines
Picture yourself floating in the open ocean at night, far from the familiar reefs and sandy slopes. Beneath you, the water seems endless, with no visible bottom, and all around, the deep holds mysteries that most divers never get to see. This is blackwater diving—an exciting, otherworldly experience that reveals the hidden creatures of the ocean’s depths.
Photo: Jürgen Lorösch
At Siladen Resort & Spa, located in the heart of Bunaken Marine Park, our blackwater dives offer a rare opportunity to witness marine life that ascends from the deep during the night, all while being guided by experienced instructors. But before we dive in, let’s take a closer look at the fascinating history behind this unique type of dive.
Photo: Galice Hoarau
A Brief History of Blackwater Diving
The concept of blackwater diving first emerged in Hawaii in the late 1990s, where adventurous divers sought a new way to observe marine life that typically stays far below the surface during the day. The idea was simple yet daring: dive over deep, open water at night, suspend lights from the surface, and see what creatures would rise from the depths.
Photo: Leo
What they discovered was remarkable. From larval stages of fish and invertebrates to rarely seen jelly-like creatures, blackwater diving quickly became a favorite among divers eager to explore the ocean’s mysterious nighttime migrations. The original goal was to observe the vertical migration—the largest animal migration on the planet, where millions of creatures travel from the deep toward the surface under the cover of darkness to feed.
Photo: Brandi Mueller
What Makes Blackwater Diving So Unique?
Blackwater diving is unlike any other night dive. Instead of staying close to the reef, you’re diving in the open ocean over very deep water. Lights suspended from the surface attract marine life from the depths, giving divers a chance to witness creatures in their larval stages. These tiny, often transparent organisms offer a glimpse into the earliest stages of marine life—juvenile fish, squid, shrimp, and other species that look completely different from their adult forms.
Photo: Bart Heines
The sensation of floating over seemingly infinite water, with nothing but your dive light illuminating the creatures drawn to the surface, is both exhilarating and humbling. Each dive feels like an exploration of the unknown, with new and strange creatures appearing each time.
Photo: Galice Hoarau
A Different Kind of Thrill
One of the biggest draws of blackwater diving is the thrill of discovery. Because you’re diving in such deep water, you never know exactly what you’ll see. There’s a sense of mystery and excitement that comes with each dive. Every moment feels like a potential encounter with something new—perhaps a larval octopus, a juvenile fish species, or delicate plankton moving through the dark water.
The experience of blackwater diving is both meditative and exciting. You’re floating in the open ocean, focused entirely on the small creatures illuminated by your light. It’s a chance to witness the ocean’s deep-water ecosystem in action, all while suspended in what feels like the vast unknown.
Photo: Jürgen Lorösch
For the Adventurous Photographer
If you’re into macro photography, blackwater dives offer a chance to capture rare and tiny creatures in ways you won’t find on any other dive. The creatures drawn to the lights are often small, fast-moving, and incredibly unique. Photographing them requires patience, focus, and an eye for detail, but the rewards are worth it. You’ll come away with images of marine life few people ever get to see.
Photo: Brandi Mueller
Not Quite Ready for the Deep? Try Bonfire Diving First
While blackwater diving is an incredible experience, we understand that diving over very deep water at night might feel a bit daunting, especially for those who are new to night dives. If you’re curious but not quite ready for blackwater diving, we recommend trying bonfire diving first.
Photo: Leo
Bonfire dives are conducted closer to the reef, with lights set up near the ocean floor to attract marine life from the surrounding area. These dives are less intimidating but still offer an up-close look at nocturnal creatures, including larvae, squid, and shrimp, all drawn toward the light. It’s a perfect way to get comfortable with night diving while enjoying the incredible diversity of marine life after dark.
Photo: Bart Heines
Why Try Blackwater Diving at Siladen Resort & Spa?
- Expert Guides: Our team is experienced in blackwater diving and passionate about sharing the wonders of the ocean’s deep-water migrations. You’ll be in safe hands as you venture into the unknown.
- Private, Small Groups: We keep our blackwater diving trips intimate, with a maximum of 4 guests per trip. Each dive is privately guided, ensuring a personal and focused experience tailored to your comfort level and curiosity.
- Unforgettable Encounters: With each dive, you’ll see creatures that most divers never encounter. Whether it’s juvenile fish, larval cephalopods, or tiny plankton, every blackwater dive brings new surprises.
- A Safe and Controlled Environment: While blackwater diving may seem daunting, it’s conducted with the highest safety standards. Our team ensures you’re comfortable with the equipment, the dive environment, and the procedures so that you can enjoy the thrill without worry.
Photo: Jürgen Lorösch
Ready to Dive into the Unknown?
If you’re looking for a diving adventure that pushes the boundaries of exploration, blackwater diving at Siladen Resort & Spa is an experience you won’t forget. Whether you’re fascinated by the idea of seeing life from the deep or just eager for a new underwater challenge, blackwater diving offers an unforgettable look into the ocean’s hidden worlds.
Photo: Brandi Mueller
For those looking to ease into night diving, start with our bonfire dives—a thrilling and accessible way to explore the nocturnal ocean before venturing into the deep waters of a blackwater dive.
Photo: Leo
For more information, please contact us at reservations@siladen.com.
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