Join us and our friend, marine biologist Elke aka 'The Shark Lady' on this epic holiday around the best dive sites in the Red Sea.

Shark Week ‘Best of the Red Sea’ October 2022 Liveaboard

TRIP SUMMARY

Rea SeaThis itinerary combines some of the greatest reefs for spotting large pelagics such as a variety of shark species, and one of the most unspoilt reefs in the Red Sea, which is where it gets it’s itinerary name ‘Best of the Red Sea’.

You’ll discover deep drop offs and the chance to see schooling hammerheads, dolphins, oceanic white tips, thresher sharks, grey reef sharks and possibly silkies. Get away from the crowds at these remote off shore reefs and soak up the Spring sun on this amazing trip. This is a dive trip for thrill seekers!

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, dolphins and fingers crossed, manta rays.

DATES

We are currently waiting for the airlines to announce dates and flight prices. Once the airlines publish their schedule we will fix the exact date. However, we aim to run the trip towards the end of October when there are lots of hammerheads, thresher sharks and oceanic white tip sharks.

Overview

Hosted by our friend, biologist Dr Elke Bojanowski (AKA the Shark Lady) who has been in the Egyptian Red Sea since 2004 and also heads up the fantastic charity www.redseasharks.org. As well as taking you to see sharks up close and personal she will do regular talks throughout the week on the different shark species in the Red Sea, how to dive with sharks safely, why sharks are so important to the health of our oceans, the plight of sharks and how you can help her research.

HammerheadsThis liveaboard holiday explorers the reefs further South which offer a very good chance of encounters with sharks and Dolphins, on one recent trip we managed to swim amongst a pod of 100 or so for around an hour – simply breathtaking!

For this trip we will be aboard the luxurious yacht Scuba Scene. M/Y Scuba Scene is a steel-hulled liveaboard, 43 m long and 9 m wide., fitted to rigorous safety standards. She is spacious, comfortable and beautifully laid out, with a maximum capacity for 26 diving guests. Two large speedboats fitted with tank racks and dive ladders are supporting the diving activities.

This trip is not for the feint-hearted, 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 the adrenaline kicks in but very quickly you soon realise that they are not the blood thirsty creatures portrayed by the media and fictional books. In fact once your heart stops thumping like a racehorse, you soon see that they are fascinating creatures, often very shy and is an experience that you will never forget.

THE BOAT: SCUBA SCENE

Beautifully laid-out across her four decks, the lower deck holds 8 of our 9 twin cabins, fitted – like all the other cabins – with a private bathroom, small fridge, and adjustable A/C unit.

On the main deck are a spacious dive deck and platform, with plenty of room for all diving equipment, and a camera table and charging points. From the dive deck, enter our well designed dining area/salon, where all our meals are served throughout your trip.

Further towards the bow, find our four suites – again fitted with private bathrooms, small fridges and adjustable A/C units, as well as the kitchen.

Red SeaThe upper deck holds one of our three sundecks, our spacious and comfortable salon, another twin as well as the dive guide cabin, plus the captain’s cabin and second sundeck.

The top deck provides lots of shaded areas to relax in and our third sundeck, all ready with cooled drinks in the two upstairs fridges, as well as the flybridge.

Suite upgrades are available and all cabins benefit from air conditioning, ensuite facilities, mini refrigerators and personal entertainment systems.

PRICE

Price: £1,230 + flights and £30 VISA. 

Price includes 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 – flights, crew and dive guide gratuities, on-board merchandise, alcoholic drinks, diving equipment hire. Divers will also need a torch (for 1-2 night dives), dive computer and SMB. We will be renting out regs, BCD, shortie wetsuit, fins and boots at £125/week if you take it from the UK. A double suite is available for an additional fee of £100pp.

How to Book Your Place

There are only 22 spaces available and they will be awarded on a first come first serve basis! To book your place we require a £100 deposit. The balance of payment is due by end of September 2021. Minimum age 18 unless accompanied by an adult.

To pay by card call 0808 253 3064

To pay by bank transfer send an e-mail to info@oysterdiving.com confirming that you wish to come on the trip and we will then send you an invoice.

THE BOAT: SCUBA SCENE

Scube SceneBeautifully laid-out across her four decks, the lower deck holds 8 of our 9 twin cabins, fitted – like all the other cabins – with a private bathroom, small fridge, and adjustable A/C unit.

On the main deck are a spacious dive deck and platform, with plenty of room for all diving equipment, and a camera table and charging points. From the dive deck, enter our well designed dining area/salon, where all our meals are served throughout your trip.

Further towards the bow, find our four suites – again fitted with private bathrooms, small fridges and adjustable A/C units, as well as the kitchen.

Red SeaThe upper deck holds one of our three sundecks, our spacious and comfortable salon, another twin as well as the dive guide cabin, plus the captain’s cabin and second sundeck.

The top deck provides lots of shaded areas to relax in and our third sundeck, all ready with cooled drinks in the two upstairs fridges, as well as the flybridge.

Suite upgrades are available and all cabins benefit from air conditioning, ensuite facilities, mini refrigerators and personal entertainment systems.

Itinerary

Day 1 :

Sample itinerary:

Red Sea**PLEASE NOTE** the itinerary below is an example of the planned route and dive sites cannot be 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. Adverse weather can affect this route which includes several overnight sailings.

This itinerary will depart from and arrive to Port Ghalib. Please note that ports are subject to change.

Day 1 – Visit dive sites local to your departure port for three dives (a check dive, practice zodiac dive and night dive) before heading out to the marine parks.

Days 2-5 – We normally plan to spend a day each at Daedalus, Brothers and Elphinstone area. Normally you will have the opportunity to make three dives per day (night dives are not permitted in the marine parks).

Day 6 – After a week of drop-offs, enjoy two relaxed morning dives local to your arrival port allowing you to cruise into harbour in the early afternoon. Take advantage of an evening onshore to purchase souvenirs and enjoy Egypt’s famous hospitality before your journey home the next day.

ITINERARY HIGHLIGHTS

DAEDALUS REEF

Whale SharkThis huge tear-drop shaped reef rises from the sea bed in the middle of the Red Sea, 80km offshore and more than 300km south of Hurghada. Easily recognised by its zebra-striped lighthouse, this 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, grey reef and thresher sharks are often sighted, but Daedalus is most famous for its scalloped hammerhead sharks which can often be seen in large schools out in the blue during the summer months. The sheer size of this reef means that you can do several dives here and never get bored!

BROTHER ISLANDS

Located about 70 km from El Quesir, these two islands offer spectacular diving. The sheer reef walls are covered with a very healthy mix of hard and soft corals, including massive sea fans and black coral bushes. They attract a variety of reef organisms, which in turn are an important food source for resident and visiting pelagics.

While Small Brother is uninhabited and more pristine, Big Brother holds a lighthouse and military station, with a minimum of 4-5 people stationed here at all times.

Despite the fully functional lighthouse, two ships crashed into this island in the 20th century, leaving two dive-able wrecks: the Numidia (sank 1901) & the Aida II (sank 1957).

The wreck of the Numidia ranges from ~18 – 85 metres, while the stern section of the Aida lies between ~30-60 metres. Other traces of these two shipwrecks are strewn across the shallows, by now overgrown with marine life.

Exposed and often windswept, the Brothers can be challenging dive sites; with potentially rough surface conditions and/or strong currents.

Besides the two wrecks and the spectacular coral walls and diversity of reef fish, a variety of pelagics can be found around these islands, either year-round, seasonally, or completely randomly.

Among them are Pelagic thresher sharks (year-round), Grey reef sharks (year-round), Oceanic whitetip sharks (seasonally, mainly Oct-Nov) and Whale sharks (randomly), to name just a few.

ELPHINSTONE REEF

A Red Sea legend; a finger shaped reef, with north and south plateaus covered in hard and soft corals, unpredictable and exciting this truly is an awesome reef where hammerhead sharks are regularly spotted in the summer and oceanic whitetip sharks often congregate in large numbers during late autumn.

Cost includes

  • Transfer from/to the airport
  • 7-night accommodation on board
  • Meals & snacks on board
  • Water, soft drinks, tea & coffee
  • Standard 12l cylinder (DIN/INT) & air fills
  • Weights (& weight belts, if required)
  • Marine Park & Port Fees

Cost excludes

  • Tourist visa (to be paid on arrival at the airport)
  • Nitrox fills (can be prepaid)
  • Rental equipment (can be prepaid)
  • Diving Courses (can be prepaid)
  • Onboard merchandising
  • Alcoholic beverages
  • Gratuities for crew & guides

FAQs

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. There is normally a fairly even split between men and women.

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 one of our instructors.

What if I haven’t done 30 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, 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. Most people hang out on deck and enjoy the banter.

What if a friend/partner wishes to come but they don’t dive?

No problem but there is no price reduction unfortunately.

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.

Qualifications required

You must be a PADI Advanced diver or equivalent with a minimum of 35 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! Many of the dives will be from a RIB.

You will be require to have your own dive computer, SMB and reel.

You can send your enquiry via the form below.

Shark Week ‘Best of the Red Sea’ October 2022 Liveaboard