Blogs
The Bahamas: a sharky adventure with a splash of rum and airport drama!
The Bahamas are famous amongst divers around the world as being one of the best places in the world to dive with sharks – lots of sharks, and lots of different species.
On the 9th January 2024, a group of 15 divers from Oyster Diving, of varying different abilities, travelled from the UK to Nassau.
Arriving in Nassau we were joined by Dave and Julie, two of our American cousins who have been on previous Oyster Diving holidays.
From here we took a short 15-seater flight to Bimini where the journey got more interesting. On arrival the airport was closed and we were effectively stranded on the runway with no way to get out.
Thankfully our Pilot radioed the customs guys who had packed up for the day early and headed home. After a while they eventually returned, stamped our passports and we left the airport. We then were told that the mini-bus that takes you to the ferry terminal had also stopped for the day, so the Customs guys did several runs in their cars to take us to the ferry.
The ferry driver kindly dropped us off on the North Island right on our doorstep at the famous resort, ‘Bimini Big Game Club’. We dropped our kit and made use of the onsite bar, restaurant and extensive cocktail menu.
The next morning we checked in with the dive centre to do our first dive of the holiday. There was no messing around; we headed straight for the sandy area where the Great Hammerheads hangout.
Due to poor visibility caused by some recent rain, unfortunately the dive was called off, so we made our way to a local reef for a chilled dive where the viz was much better. On returning to the jetty of our resort some of our group made use of the cage that hangs in the water. Here you can find about 10 bull sharks circling around waiting for a fish or two to be thrown in. Getting this close to these apex predators is totally exhilarating and not for the faint hearted, as even though you are in the safety of a metal cage, you do get the feeling that bull sharks would be a lot more interested in you if they could get past the bars!
Undeterred, we tried our luck again the next day. Lo and behold, the Great Hammerheads appeared in all their giant glory, posing for our cameras like underwater supermodels.
Slowly they came in to view – one, two, three and eventually seven GIANT Hammerheads.
Some of the Hammerheads swam right in front of your nose, others skimmed your head and most of the time they danced around in front of you like a beaming model happy for everyone to fill their camera’s memory cards.
Ninety or so minutes later we emerged with grins bigger than the sharks themselves, hoping our camera footage was as fabulous as the dive.
The next day we had another couple of great dives; a wreck called the S.S. Sapona made famous by the bootleggers during America’s prohibition era. The wreck is very shallow and the majority sits above the water but large schools of fish, lobsters and soft corals make this a very cool and relaxed dive!
Next was another shark dive, this time in the region of 50 Caribbean reef sharks that circled our boat waiting for the end of the dive. We hovered mid-water in the clear water hoping the next shark would get even closer then that last.
Once all the divers were out of the water, fingers and toes intact, the crew thanked the sharks by throwing them a bucket of fish.
Having checked out some of the local rum shacks and the resort’s bar, we jumped back on the ferry to the South island to meet our little propeller plane to whisk us to Grand Bahama.
Grand Bahama was made famous around the world a few years ago when a category five hurricane ripped through the island and tour large parts of it apart. Driving from the airport to our resort, Viva Grand Wyndham, you could still see some of the devastation.
On arriving at the dive centre located at the resort we were really disappointed to learn that the Tiger shark dives we had planned at Tiger Beach were closed due to poor visibility. Naturally the thought of diving with Tiger Sharks in poor visibility was not that appealing.
Not letting this disappointment get in the way, we managed to thoroughly enjoy our week here. We ended up doing some pristine reef dives and the Caribbean Reef shark feed was so fantastic we did it again!
We did a few tours, one to a new rum distillery which was fascinating, especially when we got to the sampling room! Rum Runners bar in Freeport became a favourite among the rum cocktail connoisseurs.
Naturally we also made use of the outdoor pool, the mile long white sand beach, the various on-site restaurants and of course the all-inclusive bar.
As well as reef, tiger and hammerhead sharks there are loads of other dives you can do in the Bahamas too. It has a huge underwater cave system second only to Mexico’s cenotes, oceanic white tips at Cat Island or even dolphins in Andros or lots of other wrecks.
To plan your diving holiday to the Bahamas please check out our similar holiday package that can be tailored to your requirements.
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
Blogs
Northern Red Sea Reefs and Wrecks Trip Report, Part 2: Wall to Wall Wrecks
Jake Davies boards Ghazala Explorer for an unforgettable Red Sea diving experience…
The second day’s diving was a day full of wreck diving at Abu Nuhas, which included the Chrisoula K, Carnatic, and Ghiannis D. The first dive of the day was onto the Chrisoula K, also known as the wreck of tiles. The 98m vessel remains largely intact where she was loaded with tiles which can be seen throughout the hold. The stern sits at 26m and the bow just below the surface. One of the highlights of the wreck is heading inside and seeing the workroom where the machinery used for cutting the tiles are perfectly intact. The bow provided some relaxing scenery as the bright sunlight highlighted the colours of the soft coral reef and the many reef fish.
Following breakfast, we then headed to the next wreck, which was the Carnatic. The Carnatic is an 89.9m sail steamer vessel that was built in Britain back in 1862. She ran aground on the reef back in 1869 and remains at 27m. At the time, she was carrying a range of items, including 40,000 sterling in gold. An impressive wreck where much of the superstructure remains, and the two large masts lay on the seafloor. The wooden ribs of the hull provide structures for lots of soft corals, and into the stern section, the light beams through, bouncing off the large shoals of glass fish that can be found using the structure as shelter from the larger predators that are found outside of the wreck.
The final wreck at Abu Nuhas was the Ghiannis D, originally called ‘Shoyo Maru,’ which was 99.5m long and built in Japan back in 1969 before becoming a Greek-registered cargo ship in 1980. The ship then ran aground on the reef on April 19th, 1983, and now sits at the bottom at a depth of 27m. Heading down the line, the stern of the ship remains in good condition compared to the rest of the hull. The highlight of the wreck, though, is heading into the stern section and down the flights of stairs to enter the engine room, which remains in good condition and is definitely worth exploring. After exploring the interior section of the ship, we then headed over to see the rest of the superstructure, where it’s particularly interesting to see the large table corals that have grown at the bow relatively quickly considering the date the ship sank. After surfacing and enjoying some afternoon snacks, we made sure everything was strapped down and secured as we would be heading north and crossing the Gulf of Suez, where the winds were still creating plenty of chop.
The next morning, it was a short hop to Ras Mohammed Nature Reserve for the next couple of days of diving. The 6am wake-up call came along with the briefing for the first site we would be diving, which was Shark & Yolanda. The low current conditions allowed us to start the dive at Anemone City, where we would drift along the steep, coral-filled wall. These dives involved drifts, as mooring in Ras Mohammed wasn’t allowed to protect the reefs. As a dive site, Shark & Yolanda is well-known and historically had a lot of sharks, but unfortunately not so many in recent years, especially not so early in the season. However, there was always a chance when looking out into the blue.
The gentle drift took us along the steep walls of the site, with plenty of anemone fish to be seen and a huge variety of corals. It wasn’t long into the dive before we were accompanied by a hawksbill turtle, who drifted with us between the two atolls before parting ways. Between the two reefs, the shallow patch with parts of coral heads surrounded by sand provided the chance to see a few blue-spotted stingrays that were mainly resting underneath the corals and are always a pleasure to see. With this being the morning dive, the early sunlight lit up the walls, providing tranquil moments. Looking out into the blue, there was very little to be seen, but a small shoal of batfish shimmering underneath the sunlight was a moment to capture as we watched them swim by as they watched us.
Towards the end of the dive, we stopped at the wreck of the Jolanda where the seafloor was scattered with toilets from the containers it was carrying. This provided a unique site to make a safety stop, which was also accompanied by a large barracuda slowly swimming by, along with a hawksbill turtle calmly swimming over the reef as the sun rays danced in the distance.
For the next dive, we headed north to the Strait of Tiran to explore the reefs situated between Tiran Island and Sharm El Sheik, which were named after the British divers who had found them. We started on Jackson before heading to Gordons Reef, where we also did the night dive. All the atolls at these sites provided stunning, bustling coral reefs close to the surface and steep walls to swim along, which always provided the opportunity to keep an eye out for some of the larger species that can be seen in the blue. Midwater around Jackson Reef was filled with red-toothed triggerfish and shoals of banner fish, which at times were so dense that you couldn’t see into the blue. Moments went by peacefully as we enjoyed the slow drift above the reef, watching these shoals swim around under the mid-afternoon sun.
The night dive at Gordon’s Reef was mainly among the stacks of corals surrounded by sand, which was great to explore under the darkness. After some time circling the corals, we came across what we were really hoping to find, and that was an octopus hunting on the reef. We spent the majority of the dive just watching it crawl among the reef, blending into its changing surroundings through changes in colour and skin texture. It’s always so fascinating and captivating to watch these incredibly intelligent animals, in awe of their ability to carry out these physical changes to perfectly blend into the reef. Before we knew it, it was time to head back to the boat to enjoy a well-deserved tasty dinner prepared by the talented chefs onboard.
Check in for the 3rd and final part of this series from Jake tomorrow!
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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