After a shocking past couple of seasons of poor viz in the UK, I was once more driven to do some warm water diving. Lucky for me, Daz had organised a trip to the Red Sea this November, targeting Northern wrecks and reefs. It didn't take much more encouragement to get me to sign up.
We flew out from Gatwick on the 20th Nov in cool dark Uk conditions, to arrive in Hurghada, warm, bright sunny, hurrah! A short transfer ride took us to the marina, and our liveaboard vessel, Red Sea Adventurer. Operator Blue o Two. We were courteously met by Ahmed and his team, who managed our luggage transfer, and provided an evening meal on board and comprehensive introductory brief.
Main:- The week started proper next morning with breakfast at 8:00, then heading out to sea to our first reef and shakedown dive.
The week unfolded to complete some classic wreck dives, both historic and old and scenic. We dived the war wrecks of the Thistlegorm and Rosalie Moller. (video above) Reef wrecks - Giannis D, the Kingston, the Dunraven, the Marcus and Carnatic.
For the critter fans, we did a number of reefs including Ras Mohammed, Shark & Yolandra Reef, including a spectacular wall and a toilet wreck. We dived with Dolphins, giant turtles, octopuses, barracudas, a shark, giant moray eels, crocodile fish, lionfish, and countless other stripey critters.
21 dives were available for each diver, at an average of 4 dives a day. By the end of the week, most of us had sore ears from the accumulated diving, and most had ducked out from one or more to help recovery.
However, a superb week of warm weather in the Red Sea in November, with excellent diving conditions. 19 club members turned out for the trip, a total success. Daz is to be commended for organising the trip, and his excellent choice of boat and operator. My favourite dive of the trip, would be the dawn Thistlegorm dive. With only one other boat on site, we were the only divers inthe water, atruly atmospheric dive from bow to midships. Out to the locomotive, around the stern, and back through the bomb damage, without seeing another diver!
