Diving the Red Sea North & Dahab 2023
Minimum dive certification and experience:
We recommend that divers wishing to join this itinerary to be certified PADI Advance Open Water or equivalent qualified and NITROX qualified with at least 20 logged dives. Local legislation requires you must have a minimum of 20 logged dives to dive on the SS Thislegorm wreck.
It is a mandatory requirement for all divers to have insurance which covers scuba diving activities, including emergency evacuation and recompression chamber costs. We recommend DAN Insurance.
Safety and dive briefings are conducted in English and must be attended to be able to conduct the dive.
Our cruise director will schedule up to 4 dives per day which can includes a night dive. The exact itinerary and order of dive sites will vary depending on the conditions and with the experienced guides of Red Sea Jol you get the right timed dives, not following a strict schedule, but rather timed according to the currents and the water movements, making a much more relaxing diving.
A typical diving day can be scheduled as follows:
* Wake up with coffee or tea, dive briefing & Dive 1
* Breakfast, relaxation period, dive brief & Dive 2
* Lunch, relaxation period, dive brief & Dive 3
* Snack, relaxation period, dive brief & Night dive
TRIP HIGHLIGHTS
SS Thistlegorm
Probably the most famous of the Red Sea wrecks. Built in June 1940 by Joseph Thompson & Sons of Sunderland, this 126.5 m long steamship was officially launched on the 9th of April 1940. Voyages included the USA to bring back steel rails and aircraft parts, Argentina to return with grains and West Indies for sugar and rum. Her final voyage was on October 6, 1941 when German bomber planes sunk her during World War II.The SS Thistlegorm is a war grave, an underwater museum, and a unique piece of military history all rolled into one. She lies in the Straits of Gubal, the northern part of the Red Sea. which makes it one of the iconic wrecks only found in the Red Sea. This wreck has good visibility of around 25-30m. However the currents are often strong. The bow can actually be spotted at 15m below the surface. You can also see the propeller at 27m. Since SS Thistlegorm is quite big, several dives are required to get to know the wreck completely, inside and out. The relatively warm waters, maximum depth of 32 meters and the tragedy, war, and mystery that envelope this ship is what makes Thistlegorm one of the highly coveted wreck sites that divers are lusting for!
Dunraven
The Dunraven was a special breed of British cargo vessel because she was capable of being powered by either sail or steam. This nearly 80m long ship was officially launched in December 1873 and followed a route between England and India.
She was a general cargo, which included timber and steel to fuel India’s heavy industrial ambitions. On April 6, 1876, the Dunraven carried a heavy load from Liverpool to Bombay. She crossed the Indian Ocean, entered the Red Sea and stopped at Aden for a supply of coal. She then continued northward, apparently headed for the Suez Canal.
However, on the dawn of April 25, 1876, the Dunraven hit a huge rock while on its way to the Suez Canal. To this day, this shipwreck lies near the southernmost tip of Egypt’s Sinai peninsula, near the mouth of the Gulf of Suez. A known landmark known as Beacon Rock will make it easier for divers to locate Dunraven.
Divers need to be cautious going near The Dunraven as the strong current can be a bit dubious at times. Scuba divers should also prepare to plunge down to 30m underwater as this is where the bottom part of the wreck is located.
Diving the Dunraven is not really a complicated one, however, divers are advised to know beforehand the layout of the vessel, conditions, route and all information needed for a smooth diving experience.
Ras Mohamed
This is a world renowned dive site, situated at the tip of the Sinai. Two small ergs are joined by a vertical wall dropping into the abyss. with its steep walls and drop offs, makes the perfect conditions for huge schools of Batfish, Trevallies, Tuna, Barracuda and Unicorn Fish. Its deffinately one of every diver's to do dive!
Other highlights but not limited to:
Carnatic wreck
Kimon M
Chrisoula K
Giannis D
Trip Information
Visa & passport
Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after the your return date and at least 2 open pages. Currently South African passport holders dont need to apply for a visa!
Insurance
Insurance which covers scuba diving is mandatory and we recommend DAN insurance, please feel free to contact us to assist you in the process. All guests are also required to carry full travel and cancellation insurance. Aquamania and Red Sea Jol cannot be held liable for delays occurring during the cruis, nor any delays or cancellations of flights, accommodations, or tours and transfers that we organise on you behalf. We recommend TIC and will assist with a quote. We further recommend that you inform your short term insurance company that you will be traveling and insure your dive gear for out and about.
Diving information
All guest will be required to proof their level of qualification and NITROX qualification, further you also need to show your log book with your last dive prior to the trip. If you are planning to participate in any TEC40 diving you will also need to proof a that you complete a deco dive in the last 6months. All guests will also be required to do a check out dive at the start of the trip. At this check dive ALL divers are required to deploy a Surface Marker Buoy successfully. It is also each diver's responsibility to dive within his or hers limits.
All divers are responsible for ensuring that they are fit to dive, and are required to complete a medical statement upon arrival on the boat. Guests who have any symptoms that could restrictive to diving will need to obtain a doctor's note clearing them to dive, prior to arriving at the boat.
Diving the Red Sea is possible all year round. Water temperatures varies between 26C and 30C during July. We recommends a 3mm or 5mm full wetsuit. Outside temperature can easily reach 40C+.
Air Egypt is allowing 2 x 23kg bags on their international flights and the way we structure the trip you can make use of these allowances. Its recommended to check the limits closer to the time. Air Egypt have very strict check-in luggage limits and its advisable to familiars yourself prior to the trip.
We recommend that you take all your own gear. A Dive computer and SMB is compulsory on this trip. 12litre aluminium tanks and weights are provided free of charge, all rental equipment must be pre-ordered, including 15litre tanks and extra side mount 12litre aluminium tanks. If you are planning to participate in any of the night diving you are required to have your own torch with a backup torch.
The local currency is the Egyptian Pound (EGP). Most hotels and bigger shops will accept credit cards and there are many ATM's for cash withdrawals. Remember to open your bank cards for international use.
The general standard of medical care in Egypt varies per location, so we recommend to take your usual precautions and remember to take your prescription medicines with a doctor letter. Protect yourself from the fierce Egyptian sun; heat strokes are fairly common. Re-hydrate constantly.
The national language is Arabic, while English is spoken as well in the tourist areas.
All cabins are twin or double occupancy. Single occupancy maybe available on request at a surcharge. All the cabins have individually controllable air-conditioning and private en-suite bathrooms.
The dress code on board the vessel is very casual and most guests feel comfortable in shorts & t-shirts or a sarong. No shoes or flip flops are allowed to be worn onboard. A sweater is recommended for cooler evenings. For the land based activities we ask to dress respectfully as we are in an Arabic country.