Reef Oasis Dive Club

Itineraries - Red Sea Liveaboard

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A rich collection of itineraries in the Red sea covering Dahab, Sharm el Sheikh, Gulf of Aqaba, Gulf of Suez , and Hurghada Area, exceptional for divers and cruise travelers


A week-long diving safari starting and ending in Sharm El Sheikh concentrating on some of the best wrecks worldwide such as Dunraven, World War II wreck Thistlegorm and Abu Nuhas wrecks.

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A week-long diving safari starting and ending in Sharm El Sheikh concentrating on some of the best wrecks worldwide such as Dunraven, World War II wreck Thistlegorm and the ship's graveyard of Abu Nuhas with Giannis D, Carnatic, Chrisoula K and the Kimon M.

You need to be a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver or equivalent and 30 logged dives are required for this safari. All dives, especially some more demanding wreck dives, are subject to diver's qualification and experience. You are able to join night dives onboard if you have previous night dives logged. You must have dived in the last year and recorded this in your log book to join this safari. Scuba Tune-Up is available on request.

The itinerary is an example so if you have a special wish for a certain place in this area just let your dive guide know. Liveaboard itineraries are subject to various unpredictable changes including weather conditions. All dives and especially some wreck dives are subject to divers' experience and weather permitted. Liveaboard itineraries are depending on Egyptian Government, Coast Guard and/or Marine Police approval. Every effort is made but we cannot guarantee diving at specific sites. The final decision lies with the captain and guide. Safety always comes first!

Note May 2012: Dive Sites in the area of Gubal Island cannot be dived due to an order from the military. This affects the dive sites of Ulysses, Barge, Malak and the Rosalie Moller. It is unknown how long the restriction will be in place.

Schedule

Day 1.  Afternoon/evening: transfer to New Marina (El Wataneya) Port and embark. Welcome on board, cabin arrangement and boat-briefing. Permission work with port authority, sailing very early next morning.

Day 2 - 7. Morning: sail to nearby dive site for a check dive, after into the Gulf of Suez passing Yolanda Reef that is named after a 74 m long Cypriot freighter which struck the reef on the 1st of April 1980. The wreck laid partially submerged on the reef top until a storm caused it to drop. Most of the ship finally has fallen over the drop-off, leaving a huge scar in the slope between Shark and Yolanda Reef. Although, a quantity of the cargo remains for the amusement of the divers: bathtubs, toilets and bathroom fittings. Continue with the historical wrecks of Dunraven. Recovered in early 1970's, the more than 125 years old wreck is largely intact, totally covered in corals and rich in marine life.

The most famous of the Red Sea wrecks may be even worldwide is the Thistlegorm. The wreck first gained fame when Jacques Cousteau dived it in 1956 but left the actual location a mystery until it was rediscovered in 1992. Lying upright on the seabed at 33 m, the 127 m long and 18 m wide wreck is absolutely impressive. Close to Sha'ab Ali in the early hours of 22 February 1881, the 78 m long Kingston ran aground at the northern edge of the reef that is known as Shag Rock.

Crossing the Gulf of Suez will take you to Abu Nuhas, a paradise for wreck lovers which is best known for the abundance of ancient and modern wrecks that lie here: Giannis D, Carnatic, Chrisoula K and Kimon M. All are located on the northern side of the reef, a sandy seafloor at the bottom of a steep sloping coral reef filled with table corals. The reef is very exposed to the prevailing wind and waves and was named after the oldest wreck which was carrying copper (Nuhas in Arabic). If weather permits you can dive the Ulysses or the Rosalie Moller. Only two days after the sinking of the Thistlegorm, the Rosalie Moller was also lying at anchor when hit and went down upright. The location outside of Gubal Island is extremely exposed to the sea, wind, and waves. The dive is deep, bottom time is limited and visibility is lower than elsewhere so this dive is definitely only for very experienced divers.

Optional as located far north of Tiran and only reachable with good sea conditions, a rarely dived wreck is the Million Hope. This wreck is one of the youngest in the Egyptian Red Sea and the second largest of the diveable ones. Its size alone makes it a memorable dive.

In between wreck dives, you will also visit some outstanding reefs at Sha'ab Mahmoud and Ras Mohammed National Park.

Days 7 -8. Depending on guest's check out and flight time, there may be another dive or just snorkeling. Return to New Marina (El Wataneya) Port and disembark. Transfer to airport or hotel

Thistlegorm Wreck

Sinai Wrecks & Reefs

THE THISTLEGORM, its Gaelic name meaning BLUE THISTLE, was a British transport ship belonging to the Albyn Line shipping company, is 126.5 meters long, a capacity of 4,898 tons and had a `three cylinder steam engine developing 1,860 HP that gave the vessel a speed of around 10 knots. The Thistlegorm was built to transport refurbished wartime materials for the British troops. In May 1941 with a crew of 39 men it had left the port of Glasgow, Scotland, with a cargo of munitions, bombs of different kinds, anti-tank mines, Lee Enfield MK III rifles, hundreds of BSA, BSA W-M20, Matchless G3L and Norton 16H motorbikes. Bedford, Morris and Ford trucks. Four light Brengun Carrier MK II tracked vehicles. Two steam Stanier 8 F locomotives complete with two coal tenders and water tankers. On the night of the 5-6 October 1941 two German Heinkel HE III bombers, coming from their base in Crete, sighted and attacked the ship. It was hit by two bombs on hold no.4 where the munitions deposit amongst other things was situated. The Thistlegorm sank in an upright position on a flat, sandy seabed 30 meters deep at 1.30 am on the 6th October 1941. Jacques Cousteau discovered the wreck in 1955 and mentioned it in an article published in February 1956 in the monthly National Geographic Magazine. Jacques Cousteau did not reveal the position of the wreck, thus it went forgotten for almost 40 years until 1991 when it was rediscovered by an Israeli skipper. In a short time The Thistlegorm has become a great favorite with scuba divers from all over the world and is now the most visited wreck in the whole Red Sea.

Shark & Yolanda Reefs

Sinai Wrecks & Reefs

A world ranked dive site formed of two little underwater islands, the Shark reef and the Yolanda reef. Shark Reef, is a vertical wall dropping to 700 meters, covered with fantastic corals. While the Yolanda Reef has a wide plateau with a coral garden and lots of of pinnacle corals. Between Yolanda reef and the Ras Mohamed reef lies the remains of the wreck of the Yolanda that is 74m long and was carrying bathroom supplies heading to the Gulf of Aqaba when she crashed in 1980. The presence of strong currents is often at this site. Diverse marine life to watch : scorpionfish, crocodilefish, groupers, turtles, tuna, big morays and napoleon fish, Red Snapper, batfish, unicornfish, barracudas and more which of course sometimes attracts the predators such as Grey reef or black tip Sharks.

Shag Rock (Kingston Wreck)

Sinai Wrecks & Reefs

Being so close to its neighbor, the Thistlegorm, this large circular reef is often overlooked. It offers excellent diving on pristine corals from any location on its perimeter. The sheltered southern point is the most dived location offering the opportunity for drifts along the west or east sides. Weather permitting the northern point hosts the wreck of the Kingston just below the surface (max. depth 12m). Large schools of yellow goat fish and sweet lips abound here and the area regularly patrolled by grey reef sharks. :
The Kingston wreck is a British cargo vessel called Kingston built in 1871 in Sunderland by Oswald Shipbuilding Co. which ran aground on the 22nd February 1881 whilst en-route to Aden, located in Southern Yemen with its cargo of coal. 78m long, 10m wide and 1449 tons this wreck lies in water of 4m down to 15m. The wreck is easily accessible and offers spectacular opportunities for photographers. There is an abundance of soft and hard corals, varied reef fauna. Divers need to be aware that this wreck should only be dived when conditions are good as strong currents are possible.

Abu Nuhas

Sinai Wrecks & Reefs

About 2.5 hours cruising time from Hurghada lies the reef of Abu Nuhas - "The father of bad luck", so called because of the number of ships that have hit this reef over the years. The reef is to the north of Shaidwan Island, close to the main shipping channel from Suez and usually partially submerged making it dangerous for shipping.
Among the many ships that have hit the north side of the reef, 4 remain as diveable wrecks for recreational divers. Starting from the north they are: Kimon M, Chrisoula K, Carnatic, Giannis D
In addition to the wrecks it is also possible to dive on the other side of the reef at a site known as Paradise, which has a plateau with a huge coral garden and a drop off into deeper water.

Giannis D Wreck

Sinai Wrecks & Reefs

The "wooden ship" which was carrying a cargo of timber bound for Saudi Arabia. Stranded on the reef, the ship broke its back during a storm and sank in two pieces. The stern section has twin masts that reach up to 5 meters from the surface with the stern at 24 meters. The engine room can be visited by suitably qualified divers.

Carnatic Wreck

Sinai Wrecks & Reefs

The "wine ship" which hit the reef and sank in 1869 on her way from Suez to India with a cargo of port wine and gold and silver bullion. The wreck is broken in 2 pieces and lies on its side on the reef with a depth range of 12 to 24 meters. The wreck is known for its huge bronze propeller and the beautiful corals that cover it after over 140 years on the sea bed.

Chrisoula K Wreck ( Marcus)

Sinai Wrecks & Reefs

The "Tile Wreck" referred to in some guides as the "Marcus", is another tile carrying ship, which is now believed to lie further from the reef in 65 meters. The bow of the Chrisoula K is in 5 meters with the broken off stern in around 26 meters. This is a very easy wreck for the novice wreck diver due to the shallow area at the bow and the gently increasing depth down to the stern. The cargo of floor tiles can be seen clearly in the open holds.

Kimon M Wreck

Sinai Wrecks & Reefs

Known as the "Lentil Wreck", the ship now lies against the reef with the bows pointing up the reef. The wreck starts at around 10 meters with a maximum depth of around 25 meters at the stern.

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