Arrival Day – Saturday 26th November 2022
The guests started to arrive around 3pm and were welcomed with a cold drink. After check in guests looked around the boat and relaxed enjoying the pizza made by our chef. The boat briefing took place and then dinner was served. After dinner, all equipment was set up and guests went to bed ready for a great week of diving to start!

Day 1 – Sunday 27th November 2022
Guests were woken at 7.00am and enjoyed their hot breakfast while we waited for the approval from the coast guard to leave. Permissions granted the captain fired up the engines and we departed to our first dive site of the week. Guests enjoyed a hot breakfast and the general dive briefing.

Dive 1 – Ras Abu Soma the first dive of the week near the city of Safaga. Guests jumped from the back of the boat checked their weights and equipment and descended keeping the reef on the left for 30min then back. Maximum depth 22m/70ft. Guests saw; nudis, moray eels, Spanish dancer eggs, banner fish, many blue spotted rays and much more.

Lunch was served and the captain moved the boat ready for the first wreck of the week!

Dive 2 –Salem Express.  A passenger ferry returning from Mecca back to Egypt. Hit the reef in 1991 due to missed navigation. Over 1600 people on board and only 180 survived. 800 Bodies were recovered and the remaining sealed inside the ship as the recovery became to unsafe L The guest explored the wreck from the outside and inside the wreck entering via the garage door. Our boat still tied above the wreck making it an easy mooring dive. We did this dive covered the wreck from outside from the propeller to the bow of the wreck.

After the dive snacks were served and guests relaxed before dive 3.

Dive 3 – Salem Express. We jumped from the back of the boat and did the dive from inside The holds are packed full with the passenger belongings; suitcases, children’s toys, cars, rugs, electrical items all bought in Saudi on their holiday. Very emotional and for real dive seeing so many personally possessions inside then we went to the restaurant then to the Capitan bridge.

Dinner was served after the dive and guests relaxed while the Capitan moved the boat to Abu Nuhas .

Day 2 – Monday 28^Th  November 2022
Guests were woken at 6:00am and enjoyed their continental breakfast before dive 1.

Dive 1 – Carnatic wreck, One of the oldest wrecks in the north side of the Red Sea which has been underwater for more than 100 years.  A short tender ride away guests descended on top of the wreck and did a circuit of the outside of the wreck seeing the propeller, stern, collapsed area the boiler and back to the bow. As we went around we saw crocodile fish, scorpion fish, nudi branc and much more. Penetrated the stern nice and open inside and back to the bow. We entered into the bow to the top level to see the glass fish down over the port bottles. The zodiacs were tied to the wreck waiting for the divers to return.

After the dive breakfast was served and guests relaxed waiting for the 2^nd dive.

Dive 2 – Kimon M, wreck 4 around the reef of Abu Nuhas. A short tender ride away. We descended down to the wreck went around the outside to the propeller then entered the wreck, swam through the length of the wreck and excited through the middle before going to the bow. We saw large batfish, clown fish, flat worms and much more.

Dive 3 – Tile Wreck a short tender ride away. Guests descended down at went to the funnel and sat and watched the eel garden with lots of small eels coming up from the sand. Then to the stern to see the propeller then entered the wreck. Down through the holds where all the granite floor tiles are which are still intact showing made in Italy. Through the holds and up to the workshop area and then to the bow holds. Around the bow to see the surgeonfish and the beautiful corals then back out to the funnel and up to the bridge to the kitchen area which has a full intact stove. Marine life; Large batfish, wrasses, parrot fish, clown fish, lion fish, Arabian surgeon fish  and much more.

Snacks were served and guests relaxed before the night dive.

Dive 4 – Abu Nuhas reef a nice easy mooring dive from the back of the boat. Guests kept the reef right then back again. Guests saw; 2 x octopus, sidegill slugs, eel, wart slugs, crabs, shrimps and much more.

Day 3 – Tuesday 29^th November 2022
Guests were woken at 6am. and enjoyed their continental breakfast before dive 1.

Dive 1 – The famous Giannis D, The wreck sits at a 45degree angle and allows proper wreck penetration. Guests descended to the wreck and entered behind the stern winches. Guests explored the large impressive marine diesel engine before continuing down the tight corridors through the engineers accommodation area. With the wreck on its side and the tight turns it’s a unique feeling diving this wreck. Once the inside was explored guests explored the outside of the wreck which is beautiful and completely covered in marine life. Guests saw dolphins J

Breakfast was served and guests relaxed before dive 2 wile the Capitan moved the boat to Gubal Island.

Dive 2 – Rosalie Moller. The sister ship of the Thistlegorm. Rosalie is a complete ship sitting at the sea bed of 50metres making it a famous technical dive however we were able to explore the decks and the bridge at 30metres to make it a recreational dive. Fantastic dive seeing 1000s of glass fish, a rare white anemone the top of the impressive expansion engine and much more.  

After the dive lunch was served.

Dive 3 – Rosalie Moller. Again this time spending time exploring the bow over the holds seeing the winches and admiring the marine life. Another excellent dive on the WWII wreck.

Guests enjoyed snacks and relax before the night dive.

Dive 4 – The Barge. Was located under our boat it made it a perfect first night dive as very easy with a maximum depth of 15m/45ft. Guests saw lots of marine life, large trevallies hunting, scorpion fish, squid, shrimps, George the moray and much more.

Day 4 – Wednesday  30^th November 2022
Guests were woken at 6am.

Dive 1 – Ulysses wreck. At the back side of Gubal Island one of the oldest wrecks in the north Red Sea. Guests boarded the tenders for a 15minute ride around the reef and descended on top of the wreck. They explored the outside seeing the propeller covered in soft coral and seeing the rare nudi decorated flabellina before going inside the open wreck which is completely covered in soft coral. Over to the mast and then to the reef and drifted around the reef, SMB finish. Guests saw moray eels, nudis, blue spotted rays, tuna, large feather tail stingray and 1000s fish!

Breakfast was served and the captain crossed the shipping lane to Shag Rock ready for dive 2.

Dive 2 – Kingston wreck. Another wreck over 100 years old. Surface conditions perfect allowing the captain to tie directly onto the wreck making it a mooring dive. Guests followed the line to the wreck and descended exploring the wreck at a max depth of 15m/45ft. The wreck is completely covered in corals and open inside with 1000s of glass fish swarming inside. The surrounding area of the wreck is fantastic covered in table top corals and marine life.

After the dive lunch was served and the captain moved the boat a short distanced to Sha’ab Ali ready for the highlight of the week.

Dive 3 – SS Thistlegorm. the wreck highlight of the week. We descended down the line to do the outside tour of the Thistlegorm. Started with the portside locomotive then kept the wreck on the left over to the stern to see the blast area full of ammunition, the large stern machine guns and back to the bow. Saw all the gun cases, shells and the outside of the wreck. Great dive with batfish, large napoleon wrasse, scorpion fish, clown fish and much more.

Guests enjoyed snacks and relax before the night dive.

Dive 4 – Night dive was the mighty Thistlegorm again. A small group were taken inside the hold seeing all the impressive cargo! An excellent dive described as the best dive of the trip so far!

Day 5 – Thursday 1^St December 2022
Guests were woken at 5.30am and enjoyed a light breakfast before dive 1.

Dive 1 - This dive was a complete inside tour of the Thistlegorm. Guests followed the guide into the lower level of the wreck seeing all the rifles, trucks, battery covers, motorcycles, plane spare wings before heading to the upper level seeing more motorcycles and trucks. The inside is like a WWII museum. We also saw a lot of marine life including  batfish, jacks, nudi brancs, scorpion fish and much more. Breakfast was served and the guests relaxed.

Dive 2 – Thistlegorm inside again.

After the dive lunch was served and the captain moved the boat to sha;ab Mahmoud.

Dive 3 – Dunraven wreck. another wreck that’s been under water for more than 100 years!  A short tender ride away guests descend and explored the outside of the wreck. Swimming over the propeller which is covered in soft coral before heading under the wreck to enter. The wreck is complexly upside down so like swimming an empty cave. Very easy penetration to the remains of the engine and over the top of the boilers into a huge school of glassfish. Once we explored the wreck we headed back to the reef and back to the boat. The reef was stunning covered in marine life and soft & hard corals. Marine life; moray eels, box fish, scorpion fish, stone fish, file fish, groupers, large porcupine fish and much more.

Guests returned to the boat, ate snacks and relaxed before the night dive.

Dive 4 – Sha’ab El Erg. Night dive very easy guests jumped from the boat and explored the reef looking for marine life. Guests saw shrimps, crabs, eels, clown fish, sleeping parrot fish and much more.

Day 6 – Friday 2^nd  December 2022
Guests were woken at 6.00 and enjoyed a light breakfast before dive 1 briefing at 6.30am.

Dive 1 – Sha’ab El Erg. Also known as Dolphin house. Dolphins made an appearance and were enjoyed by all the guests! Guests enjoyed the reef and explored the area before coming back to the boat. Nice easy mooring dive with a maximum depth of 12m/35ft.  Marine life; gobies, shrimps, stonefish, eels, butterfly and banner fish and much more.

Breakfast was served and guests relaxed before the final dive of the trip.

Dive 2 – El Minya wreck. An old minesweeper a nice easy wreck home to a lot of nudi brancs. Great dive covering the wreck including a near by fishing boat.

Lunch was served and guests relaxed while the crew washed their kit. We celebrated the week a cocktail party J

Special Mentions

Iron Divers : Elliot, Lynn, Debbie, George B, Chris, Alison, Greg, Joel, John, Samantha and Toby

Congratulations to Joel and Anthony for completing the Nitrox specialty course.

Congratulations Samantha for reaching 500 dives onboard.