News
There’s never been a better time to visit the Red Sea with Regaldive
For divers who are in two minds about venturing to the Red Sea this autumn, UK based diving holiday specialist Regaldive is on hand to help make the decision that little bit easier. With fewer beach-goers than normal, fantastic deals to be had and no FCO advice against travel to the area*, now is perhaps a better time than ever to explore all the Red Sea has to offer. What’s more, Regaldive is offering 10% off all dive holidays booked between now and 13th September 2013, so divers are advised to get in there quick to take advantage.
For wreck enthusiasts, Hurghada packages are now discounted by 10%. Seven nights’ at the Elysees Hotel in Hurghada now cost from just £382 per person, to include flights, transfers and seven nights’ B&B accommodation, based on two people sharing. A five day dive pack costs from £80 per person when taking advantage of Regaldive’s buy one get one free deal on dive packs**.
Those looking to explore the famous Ras Mohammed Marine Park can do so from the popular resort of Sharm El Sheikh, of which packages are also discounted by 10%. Seven nights’ at the Falcon Naama Star now cost from just £349 per person. The price includes flights, transfers and seven nights’ B&B accommodation, based on two people sharing. A four day boat diving dive pack costs from £115 per person, when taking advantage of Regaldive’s buy one get one half price deal on dive packs***.
For those looking to maximise their time in the water, Regaldive offer a wide range of liveaboards in the Red Sea, which are also currently discounted by 10%. Regaldive’s seven day Get Wrecked itinerary journeys on the M/Y Superior and combines the ‘Best of the Best’ of the most famous wrecks in the northern Red Sea with some stunning reef diving. Now costing from £1,058 per person, the liveaboard includes flights, transfers and seven nights’ full board accommodation, soft drinks, six days diving, three to four dives a day, two dives on the last day, guide, tanks, weights & Marine Park fees.
Andreas Elia, Managing Director of Regaldive, commented: “Unlike the tourism industry as a whole, the dive industry has been largely unaffected by the recent unrest in Egypt. The Red Sea remains a popular and safe destination for divers to visit, and while other nationalities are staying away, divers from the UK can enjoy the delights of the Red Sea in relative solitude”.
He continued, “With some of the world’s most fantastic diving on offer and some great deals to be had, it’s no surprise that it’s been business as usual for Regaldive over the last couple of months. With 50 accommodation options on offer in the Red Sea, we really do have something for all needs and budgets”.
For further information or to book, visit www.regaldive.co.uk or call + 44 (0)1353 659 999.
Photo: Egyptian Tourist Board
* The Red Sea Resorts including those in the entire region of Sharm el Sheikh, Taba, Nuweiba, Hurghada and Dahab are exempt from current FCO advice warning against all but essential travel.
** Buy one get one free deals available on five or six day dive packs. Valid for travel between 1 November – 14 December 2013, 3 January – 4 April and 25 April – 11 July, 2014.
*** Buy one get one half price deals available on four, five and six day boat diving dive packs. Valid for travel between 13 November – 10 December 2013, 4 January – 26 March, 5 June – 21 July and 13 November – 12 December, 2014.
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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