Best of Red Sea – November 15
‘Simply the Best- Project Shark’ Diving Holiday
6-13th November 2015
LIMITED SPACE REMAINING:
1 X Double Room
If you’ve never dived with sharks before it can be quite daunting the first time you enter the water. As soon as you see your first shark you can see that they are not the blood thirsty creatures that are portrayed by the media and fictional books. In fact once your heart stops thumping and the adrenalin rush dies down a little, you soon realise that they are fascinating creatures, often very shy and is an experience that you will never forget.
On this trip we will be joined by the Marine Biologist Elka Bojanowski, otherwise known as the ‘Shark Lady’. She runs the charity ‘Red Sea Sharks‘, and is one of the top experts in the Red Sea on shark behaviour. Her talks are fascinating and she has a secret talent for knowing where the sharks are going to be.
Our motor yacht for the weeks is Blue Horizon which is everything you would expect from a 5* diving vessel. It benefits from a large dining area, separate sky lounge with state of the art entertainment system, outdoor Jacuzzi, and double and twin cabins all benefiting from en-suite facilities, air conditioning and personal entertainment systems. A spacious dive deck also makes kitting up and getting in the water a stress free experience!
WATCH THE VIDEO FROM OUR PREVIOUS TRIP HERE
ROUTE: Simply the Best: Project Shark
This trip offers the most spectacular reefs that the Red Sea has to offer, on previous trips on the same itinerary we were lucky enough to experience some amazing shark encounters including oceanic white tips, grey reef sharks and Threshers. The week has the opportunity to have encounters with sharks, Manta Rays and Whale Sharks (although these sightings cannot be guaranteed!) with the possibility to observe them in their natural habitat. Please note that night diving and snorkelling will only be allowed on some parts of this itinerary as it includes marine parks where this is prohibited.
The Boat: Blue Horizon
The Blueotwo fleet operate some of the most luxurious liveaboards in the Red Sea. As anyone who came on the trip last year how great the food, accommodation and staff were.
QUALIFICATIONS NEEDED: You must be a PADI Advanced diver or equivalent with a minimum of 30 logged dives to join this safari. If you are not at this level yet – don’t worry, you can complete your Advanced course in one weekend with us and with a few more weekends of pleasure diving you’ll have plenty of dives too!
You will be require to have your own SMB and reel.
The week will offer the opportunity to:– Enjoy fantastic diving on some of the most unique Red Sea reefs – Experience potential close encounters with sharks, Manta Rays and Whale Sharks.
Sample itinerary:
**PLEASE NOTE** the itinerary below is just an example of the route taken and the order and dive sites are not guaranteed.
All dives sites are subject to weather conditions and the final route taken is at the absolute discretion of the captain and dive guides.
Day 1– Gota Abu Ramada x 3 – overnight sail
Day 2 – Big Brother
Day 3 – Small Brother
Day 4 – Daedalus
Day 5 – Elphinstone
Day 6 – Salem Express/Panorama/Abu Kaffan, Abu Hashish
Itinerary highlights:
Big Brother:A 400 metre long island offering fabulous wreck diving and wall diving. The wreck of the Numidia lies on the northern tip between 10 and 80 metres. The north-west side of the island houses the wreck of the Aida. On every section of this reef the wall is covered with corals and life.
Little Brother: Boasts a very high concentration of life within a very small area. Fan coral forests, overhangs, hard and soft corals in a variety of astonishing colours… and of course there are plenty of fish! With regular sightings of hammerheads, thresher sharks, grey sharks and white tip reef sharks, at the right time of year.
Daedalus: This huge reef rises from the sea bed in the middle of the Red Sea. Easily recognized by its zebra-striped lighthouse, this massive reef offers some of the most amazing dives in the Red Sea. The sheer walls are covered in over-grown hard coral formations and a variety of reef fish. Napoleon wrasses and turtles are often cruising by, but make sure you keep your eyes open on the blue! Daedalus is one of those places where anything can happen… oceanic white tip reef sharks, grey reef sharks, a lonesome hammerhead shark or schools of them. The excitement and the sheer size of this reef means that you can do several dives and not get bored!
Elphinstone Reef: A Red Sea legend. One of the most beautiful reefs, with its north and south plateau’s covered in hard and soft corals, this truly is an awesome reef.
Price: £1,299 + £25 VISA Speedy Visa, Meet & Greet-EU passport holder only
Price includes return economy flights from London Gatwick to Hurghada, transfers, 7 nights’ accommodation in a twin room, all meals and soft drinks (with the exception of Schweppes tonic, soda and lemon), tea and coffee, 12 ltr cylinder and weights. Not included in the price – crew and dive guide gratuities, on-board merchandise, alcoholic drinks, diving equipment. Divers will also need a torch (for night dives), dive computer and SMB. We will be renting out regs, BCD, fins and boots at £75/week if you take it from the UK. A suite is available for an additional fee.
How to Book Your Place
There are only 24 places available and they will be awarded on a first come first serve basis! To book your place we require a £325 deposit. The balance of payment is due 14 weeks prior to departure (August 2015). Minimum age 18. Credit card payments will incur an additional 2.5% bank charge. There is no fee for debit cards, cheques or bank transfers.
To pay by card call 0800 699 0243 or 07920 516006
To pay by bank transfer send an e-mail to info@oysterdiving.com confirming that you wish to come on the trip. We will then send you an invoice.
To pay by cheque send an e-mail to info@oysterdiving.com with your details and we will send you an invoice with our details.
Frequently Asked Questions
What sort of people will be going on the trip?
There will be people of different sexes and dive experience. Our customers tend to be good fun, are not ‘diving geeks’, can be any age (as long as they are fit enough to dive) and have a sense of adventure.
What are the other costs? Your trip includes flights, accommodation, transfers, guides, tanks, weights, all meals and soft drinks. The only additional costs are alcohol, Nitrox (optional at £70 per week) and sometimes we go out for dinner on the last night but you can eat on the boat if you prefer.
Will I get eaten by a Shark?
No*. There are very few shark attacks in the world. In fact the most dangerous part of the holiday is travelling on the M25 to the airport! If you are scared of Sharks then feel free to hide behind Melvin.
What if I haven’t done 35 logged dives?
No problem. Just join us for a few of our weekends away. Lets say you have only done 4 open water dives and therefore need another 31. If you do 4 dives in a weekend then it will only take about 8 weeks
Will there be any other single people there? The majority of people on the trip will be travelling alone. We will happily put you in a cabin to share with someone of the same sex and similar age/mindset.
What do we do when we’re not diving? There is a great sun deck, there is a TV, DVD’s and plenty of books to enjoy. There is also plenty of room if you wish to escape for a while and sit and listen to your i-pod!
What if a friend/partner wishes to come but they don’t dive? No problem and we might be able to get them a small reduction in the price too!
When do I need to book by? As soon as possible. There are only 24 places and they are on a first come first serve basis!
Do I need a VISA? It is your responsibility to check that you have the correct visa. Blueotwo will provide temporary visas for people with EU passports which can be collected at the airport in Hurghada.
If you have any other questions please call 0800 699 0243 / 07920 516006.