Saturday
The adventure began at 3:00 pm as 25 excited guests stepped aboard the Red Sea Aggressor IV for a week of unforgettable diving in the Southern Red Sea. This week we welcomed divers from the United States, Germany, Italy, Spain, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Ireland, a wonderful mix of traveling friends ready to share the same stretch of ocean.

After check-in, our staff led everyone on a yacht orientation tour, pointing out the lounge, the dive deck, and the emergency exits so every guest felt at home from the very first step.

Dinner was served at 7:30 pm, followed by a thorough safety briefing and a sneak peek at the dive sites waiting for us through the week. The yacht stayed tied up in Port Ghalib for the night, and guests turned in early, eager for the first splash in the morning.

Sunday
Guests rose at 7:00 am to a fresh breakfast while we finished the last of our Coast Guard permits. With everything in order, we set sail straight for Marsa Shona Reef for the check dive, a relaxed start to ease everyone back into rhythm with their gear and buoyancy.

After lunch, we slipped in two more dives at Abu Dabab 6, one of our favorite local sites, and stayed on for a night dive at the same spot. The 6:30 pm briefing barely covered all the excitement to come. Divers spotted an octopus tucked into the reef, a giant moray eel weaving through the coral, schools of masked pufferfish, and the unmistakable swirling colors of a Spanish dancer drifting through the beam of a torch.

After dinner, we pointed the bow east and began our 85-mile overnight passage to Daedalus Reef.

Monday
Daybreak found us anchored at Daedalus Reef, the open-ocean pinnacle famous for its pelagic action. Our first dive launched from the northeast plateau at 6:30 am, and the reef did not disappoint. Divers were greeted by a Napoleon wrasse, a giant moray eel, a wall of barracuda, hammerheads cruising in the blue, and an oceanic whitetip shark patrolling the surface waters.

After breakfast we geared up for the second dive at the northwest plateau wall, scouting for more big predators. The current ran strong on the south side, so we moved to the gentler Anemone City, where one group still found a hammerhead hovering just beyond the reef.

Lunch was served at 12:30 pm, and at 3:00 pm we dropped in for our third dive directly off the mother yacht. This drift along the south plateau wall delivered Napoleon wrasse, schools of jacks, and four silky sharks circling in the open water, a real highlight of the day.

After our last dive we visited the historic lighthouse on Daedalus and watched the sun sink into the Red Sea. Dinner was served at 7:00 pm, and that night we steamed 105 miles south to St. John's Reef.

Tuesday
Guests stirred awake at 6:00 am to find us already at St. John's Paradise Reef. We had four dives lined up for the day, and the first one set the tone perfectly. The coral formations were stunning, and divers found nudibranchs, a hawksbill turtle, anemones with their resident clownfish, a blue spotted ray resting on the sand, and another giant moray eel.

We moved on to St. John's Caves for the second dive at 10:30 am. The swim throughs here are among the best in St. John's, with shafts of sunlight cutting down through the openings in the coral and lighting up the sand below.

After lunch we geared up for the third dive and enjoyed a beautiful sunset surface interval back on the yacht. At 7:00 pm we splashed in again for a night dive at the same site, and dinner followed soon after. With another easy 50-mile run, we sailed overnight to Satayah Reef.

Wednesday
Guests woke at 6:00 am to find only two yachts at Satayah South Reef. The current was running, so we kicked off the day with a fabulous drift dive that brought us face to face with tuna and another Napoleon wrasse.

For the second dive we moved to Shoab Maksor Reef. The current was strong again, but the reward was worth it, a hammerhead shark gliding past the wall.

After lunch we made our way to Claudia Reef for the third dive at 3:00 pm. The topography here is unlike anywhere else on the itinerary, with towering pillars and unique coral formations that feel almost cathedral-like. With the sun setting, we headed back north to the calmer waters of Satayah Reef for the night dive.

Thursday
Guests were up by 6:00 am, and the dive briefing started at 6:30 am. The plan for the day kicked off with a drift dive at Erok Satayah Reef. Conditions were excellent, with clear water and easy current.

For the second dive we moved to Malahi Reef, where divers spotted two white tip reef sharks resting under coral ledges, surrounded by some of the most colorful coral formations of the week.

After lunch we shifted to Abu Galawa Small for the third dive at 3:00 pm. With time to spare, we headed north to Syal Island, where guests spent a wonderful surface interval ashore before splashing in for a night dive in the same location.

Friday
Guests woke at 6:30 am for our final morning of diving at Elphinstone Reef. We dropped in along the north side of the reef in three waves, soaking up the dramatic walls and rich coral one last time.

After breakfast we moved back to Marsa Shona for the final dive of the week. At 10:30 am we geared up and slipped beneath the surface to find green turtles cruising the reef and a stingray gliding across the sand, a sweet send-off to a remarkable week.

After lunch, guests packed up their dive equipment and laid everything out to dry as we set sail for Port Ghalib Marina. At 5:00 pm we wrapped up the trip with a farewell cocktail party, where Iron Diver certificates were presented to our most dedicated divers. It was a fantastic way to celebrate an incredible week, and everyone left feeling happy, accomplished, and already dreaming of their next adventure.

Saturday
Disembarkation began at 8:00 am at Port Ghalib, with hugs, photo swaps, and promises to dive together again soon.

Thank you for choosing the Red Sea Aggressor IV for your dream dive vacation. We hope this journey created lasting memories both above and below the surface, and we look forward to welcoming you back again soon.