Sara’s first Red Sea Liveaboard
Sara has lived and worked as a videographer in Sharm but never done a liveaboard! So as the newest member of the Scuba Travel team, she was off to see how the other half live and experience firsthand the advantages of liveaboard diving (thanks too for all the pics Sara!)…
When I was told within only a few weeks of joining the company that I would be taking a trip on the Whirlwind and doing the Wrecks and Reefs itinerary, it came as a very welcome surprise. Before long it was the early hours of Sunday morning and I was off. I made my way in my recently acquired Beetle to the off site car parking with the assurance of knowing that it was secure and in close proximity to the airport. I parked up quickly and I hopped onto the awaiting transfer bus to the airport.
After a little wait I checked in to the Monarch flight painlessly and with presentation of my dive certification card was well with in my baggage allowance of 25kg. I then proceeded through to departures and although early, I was able to wander around the shops that were all already open and relax with a nice cup of coffee. We took off on time and I dozed on the short flight to Sharm el Sheikh.
As soon as I went through to the airport terminal I spotted with ease the Scuba Travel representative was awaiting with his board. I then had my first introduction to my fellow divers joining me on the Whirlwind that week. I had pre-booked my visa to avoid waiting in the queue – all that I had to do was hand over my passport to Ahmed, who stuck in the visa sticker, and off I went through passport control and straight to the baggage hall. I was very fortunate to be one of the first to have my bags and shortly after the others followed.
The transfer to Travco El Mina jetty by bus was comfortable and only 20 minutes. This is where I met the lovely Gerry who I was to be sharing with in a female share for the week. We boarded the impressive looking Whirlwind, whilst our bags were loaded on for us, removed our shoes (which disappeared for the week) and enjoyed our welcome drink and trip orientation. Once all our equipment was set up in a spot next to our buddies, we were treated to our first delicious evening meal of many by the talented chef and jovial and Egyptian staff.
The first morning was an early six o’clock start but after a good night’s sleep in the surprisingly roomy cabin and a cup of coffee, we received our first dive site briefing at the Alternatives and were ready for our routine check dive. This was reassuring for me after not having dived for a while – a nice and relaxed dive over a sandy bottom. Myself and my new buddy the wonderfully talented photographer John Collins slowly descended and had our first reminder of what is the beautiful Red Sea. Various large coral blocks adorned with glass fish, sweepers and colourful soft corals. Giant puffer fish hiding nervously under a table coral and a baby clearfin lionfish hovering just above the seabed.
First dive was completed successfully, my one camera housing successfully pressure tested and I was keen for the next dive camera at the ready. We remained at this dive site for the second dive venturing off in a different direction and this time beginning what would be a week of attempted modelling for my buddy John. It was the beginning of my fun but possibly not quite so successful pictures. All too soon it was time for the first night dive which was lovely and peaceful, sleeping masked puffers balancing on their coral perches, a Giant Moray, mouth gaping waiting for his evening meal to wander past and a very large brittle star. Navigating back to Whirlwind was simple as they had a strobe hanging of the back. Once de –kitted and after a nice warm shower, more welcome food in my stomach. A few of us were treated to a slide show of photos by John that night and I my reaction, along with others, was……WOW! Giving us the excitement of what we could look forward to and hope to see.
Day three was a morning dive on the SS Dunraven (built in Newcastle & launched in 1873 powered by both sail and steam) she met her fate only three years later in 1876. Legend has it she sunk due to argument between a drunk Captain and his promiscuous wife. What remains for us divers is a great wreck lying upside down in around 25 meters of water. After taking pictures of the propeller which is great for posing, we entered one of the three large holes in the hull to reveal two large boilers (now on the ceiling) encrusted in mammoth barnacles that look like they are on steroids. The odd lionfish floated in the dark which was broken by light streaming through the few remaining portholes in the stern. Definitely a nice wreck to start off with if you are new to wreck diving with her easy entry and exit points. Finishing our dive just meters away on the reef that shallowed up for us to make our safety stop were greeted by the resident family of Mummy, Daddy and baby Napoleon fish.
Our next dive was on Small Crack, where we did our negative entry off the side of the zodiac. We searched for the vibrantly coloured red anemone and home to some very proud clown fish (we had been tipped off about by our extremely fun and expert guides Peter and Sarah). We then had the choice of either a north or south passage through to the corridor that was the stunning small crack. Table corals laced each other in perfect form and what with it being shallow the light was great for our cameras. Some were fortunate to cross paths with a turtle. We easily made our way directly back to our boat, a welcome smile from the crew, a swift hot chocolate and then a laze with a book in the spacious lounge before yet more food for my happily rapidly expanding stomach.
Our next three dives including the night dive were on the famous armed freighter the SS Thistlegorm, who met her fate on 6th October 1941. Having dived this wreck on a weekly basis when working in Egypt I have not ceased to be in awe of her and discover new finds on every dive. However, this time I was far more spoilt as we were one of only two boats… the luxury of being on liveaboard. Laden with Bedford trucks, riffles, wellington boots and steam locomotives she is a wreck diver’s dream.
Moving on to Shag rock and the 18th century steamship the Kingston we found the stern lying at the deepest point around 20 meters. This was definitely another favourite dive for me, a very open wreck encrusted in corals, my dive buddy had dived this wreck 20 years prior and was the unfortunate witness to the removal of the port holes. The reef of Shag rock which we gently drifted on at the end of the dives was stunning and on this particular dive had a constant stream of fusiliers re-enacting a sardine run in disguise.
The Barge was our base for the remainder of the day & night with a large old looking Moray named George who posed perfectly for all the divers on the starboard side whilst his girlfriend of many peered out on the adjacent side. This was a nice dive for various nudibranches. A great open wreck for all divers nice and shallow and the first night dive for the lovely Justin from New Zealand- hurrah! Another fabulous night dive is at Beacon Rock with Rob, his trusty torch and a few hungry lionfish, a pretty cuttlefish displaying his own internal disco lights before suddenly he shot of at great speed and sliced an unfortunate fusilier clear in half!
On to the beautiful Ras Mohamed Park and Shark and Yolanda reef with fantastic walls that drop down in the blue and just a few orange and red anthias. There was a turtle gliding to the surface for a breath, blue spotted stingrays, a few toilets and scattered with glorious purple alcyonarians. We then sailed up the straits of Tiran diving Gordon reef where Ali and Steve where ecstatic to find their very first nudibranch whilst my buddy and I bimbled of and discovered some enormous and pristine Gorgonian sea fan – another opportunity for me to perfect my modelling skills, although by this point with the daily personalised omelettes at breakfast and delicious lunches and evening meals was definitely making my wetsuit shrink! We were again fortunate to be one of very few boats on Thomas, Jackson and Woodhouse reef. We spent our last few days enjoying barracuda, red anemone, what seemed like forests of fire coral, snapper, pretty banner fish and many great photo opportunities.
We returned to port and most of us ventured off the boat and into Naama bay on the last night, allowing us to get some quick tourist shopping in and have a few drinkies with my new friends and reflect on a good week. The last day went fairly swiftly, we disembarked and were transferred to the Bay View Hotel, where we were able to relax by the pool and catch some last minute rays, freshen up with some courtesy rooms ready for our journey home.
Although this particular week was somewhat windy, I would like to thank everyone else on board, the ever smiling crew and guides for a fabulous time. I cannot wait to do another liveaboard in the Red Sea! Thanks again to our wonderful dive guides, Valdo our fellow Portuguese diver and new friend was able to squeeze his 100th dive in but to our dismay not naked!
