Divers: Everett, Paul, Annie, Jody, Natalie, Vanessa, Arun, Mike, Teresa, Michael, Michelle, Arin, Kim, Jean-Christophe, Magali, Tom, Mathilde, Jeannine

Saturday  We were happy to welcome a group of divers from US, Cabnada and France aboard the AFR at Port Ghalib Marina on a sunny day in Egypt. Once gear was set up and half of the group checked in we enjoyed a fine meal prepared by Chef. The Cruise Director then explained the plans for the week and the safety procedures. Excited for the week, the guests and crew alike one by one head off to bed.

 Sunday morning guests were awoken for hot breakfast and hot coffee before we got clearance from the coastguard and  left the dock to Abu Dabab. Arriving to calm conditions in 1 hour, we completed initial dive briefing and got ready for our first dive of the week. We got to see lots of reef fish such as masked puffer fish, emperor fish, butterfly fish and nudibranchs. What a wonderful beginning! We jumped in for another dive after lunch. Beautiful dive between pinnacles where we got to see schooling endemic blue chick butterfly fish, banner fish, giant moray eels, star fish and a scorpion fish! After sunset, we provided night dive briefing and we done first night dive of the week. Once everybody was onboard reporting that they had great time with basket stars, large hunting moray eel, large seaslugs and crabs, shrimps and more. We then served dinner and then it was free time. Some of guests went off to bed after a glass of wine getting ready for another day of diving in our beautiful Red Sea.

Monday Guests were woken at 6.00am for first briefing. Floating resort was at Shaab Sharm. The reef located 15  miles away from the land, surrounded by gorgeous coral walls and interesting dive sites. On the first dive divers drifted over gorgonian garden and along colorful eastern wall. There are so many Gorgonias at the depth 15-25 meters surrounded by clouds of fish! We also found several pipefish, large tunas in the middle of sardine’s cloud, several scorpion fish, large wrasse, masked puffer fish, anemones and a hawksbill turtle eating her breakfast. Next up was Sheleniat . The dive site consists of coral wall down to 13 meters and sandy plateau’s gradually going down. Lots of coral heads on the plateau host many giant moray eel, nudibranchs, reef fish, stingrays. With mild current we slowly headed to the boat through clouds of reef fish.  After lunch we boarded zodiacs going to dive Gota Sheleniat, beautiful place to dive and we were not disappointed. On the dive large scorpion fish, anemone fish, large moray eels, colorful nudibrances and flatworms, potato grouper and a school of glass fish surprised us. Everybody came back to the yacht before sunset and prepared for night dive at Sheleniat.  We had great time underwater spotting nocturnal creatures such as rainbow crabs, scorpionfish, moray eels and tons of shrimps. We then had delicious dinner from our Chef and went off the bed while the Captain started our way to St.John’s reefs.

Tuesday Our first dive site for the morning was at Paradise reef between coral pillars, guest enjoyed seeing anemone fish, a couple popcorn shrimps, several moray eels, wart slug and pajama chromodorid. We explored the swimthrough with a moray eel and anemones inside and swam above the coral garden. After lunch we moved the vessel from the Paradise reef to a dive site called St. John’s Caves. This site boasts diverse topography. Gigantic pinnacles create multiple swimthroughs and caves. Once the briefing was over divers splashed in for the second dive following the dusk dive. Lots of marine life were spotted on the dives such as an octopus, yellow snappers, sea cucumbers, nudibranchs and star fish.  Our night dive was after dinner, we caught sight of rainbow crab, shrimps, sea stars, hunting giant moray, two chromodorids quadricolor and 2 large Spanish dancers! After the dive and everyone was onboard safely we served dinner and moved the vessel to our next destination Fury shoal area.

Wednesday Guests were woken at 6am and 6:30am everyone was ready to go snorkeling  with dolphins! We spent almost 2 wonderful hours in the water with about of 100 dolphins! With big smiles on our faces we came back to the ship and had well deserved hot breakfast. Then was the dive off the boat at El Erug Sataya. We had great dive with lots of reef fish, scorpion fish and healthy hard and soft corals. Annie filmed a hawksbill turtle freely swimming along the bottom and suddenly got attacked by anemone fish! The turtle had to run away from aggressive fish! So much fun! Over the lunch Captain Mohammed moved the yacht El Gota for the remainder of the day. 2 day dives were great! Our guests were excited to report that they saw friendly turtle, stone fish, giant moray eels, cleaner shrimps, porcupine fish and more! Then was dinner time from our Chef Shakhrour. This time he pumped us with barbecue! We stayed here for a night dive where splendid crab, boxer shrimps, spider crab, Spanish dancer and cuttle fish were spotted. After the night dive and everyone was onboard safely, we started our 6-hours way to Daedalus reef.

Thursday early morning we woke up early morning at Daedalus reef. After fresh coffee and continental breakfast guests took a long zodiac rides to the dive point. With great visibility we swam along gorgeous wall where we got to see Napoleon wrasse, a Manta ray, nudies and schools of fish. Guests also saw tons of anemone fish, damsel fish, lemon gobies, morays, blue spotted rays, large puffer fish. Next dive was at south plateau after the hot breakfast. Divers had pretty encounter with 2 Oceanic white tip sharks right under the yacht! We then descended to the plateau and  admired eels, porcupine fish, several wartslugs, scorpion fishes and tons of reef fish. Afternoon, after lunch and power nap we explored gorgeous reef and we got to see one Oceanic white tip shark,  lots of macro marine life such as pajama nudibranches, wartslugs, stingrays, a curious eel, different blennies and gobies, Arabian angelfish and more. Great final dives for the end of diving day. We then served dinner at sunset time while the crew prepared the boat for overnight sailing. After sunset we headed back to the land direction of Elphinstone reef.

Friday The last day of diving we started at 6:00am. On the dive at east side of Elphinstone reef where guests saw giant trevallies, dogtooth tunas, several pipe fish, a scorpion fish and eggs of Spanish Dancer. Don’t forget about one of the most beautiful reef in Red sea then the picture is complete. The next up was Marsa Mobarak. Divers spotted red sea pipefishes, Arabian angel fish and lion fishes. After the second dive we moved to Port Ghalib where we celebrated great week of diving!  We reminisced about the epic dives we had this week and all the next adventures to come!

Until next time!

Aggressor Floating Resort Captain and the Crew