About Whitetips and Wonders with Mustard

Scuba Travel have custom built this itinerary along with Alex Mustard - this trip has no fixed itinerary. Alex and the dive guides have complete discretion to adapt the itinerary for the best encounters and taking into account prevailing weather.

Embarkation


Trip Duration
The whitetips and wonders with Mustard trip runs for 7 nights with 7 nights spent on board your liveaboard.

There are normally 3 day dives apart from on your first and last day. Night diving is prohibited whilst at the marine parks, although there will normally be at least 1 night dive during the week. There are around 18 dives on an average week but this can vary.

All liveaboard itineraries are subject to various unpredictable changes including weather conditions and changes in local Government approval. Whilst our boat operators make every effort, we cannot guarantee diving at specific sites. In adverse weather conditions, the guides and captain of the boat will have the final decision about which dive sites to visit to ensure that the safety of guests, staff and boats is not compromised in any way.

Arrival
Once you have been picked up from the airport you will be taken to the port to board your liveaboard. If you are making your own way to the harbour we ask that you not board before 18:00. There will be a full welcome briefing on arrival and you can set your kit up. If you have prepaid any rental equipment this will be given to you on arrival. There is then your first dinner and you can settle in for the evening. The boat will not leave harbour on this first night.

After the boat permissions are sorted, the boat will depart the next morning and the check dive will be made.

Elphinstone
Elphinstone is one of the big name reefs in the Southern Red Sea. It is a slim and relatively small reef with dramatic walls and a plateau at each end. You can do several dives here (weather permitting).

The southern plateau is where oceanic white tips hang out during the later half of the year. You must watch your depth and currents carefully on Elphinstone as conditions can be variable and you do not want to lose visual contact with the reef. However, normally you can just jump off the back of the boat and just wait near the hang tank. The oceanics (often females 1-2m) will come to you!

Look for hammerheads on the north plateau before drifting along the magical wall (the clouds of anthias are vast!). A friendly trumpet fish will often shadow divers as you make your way down the wall.

The Marine Park wall dives
The big walls of Egypt are the Brothers, Daedalus & Rocky. Oceanics can be found at any of these locations. We leave it up to Alex and the dive guides to make the decision as to where the best chances of finding oceanics will be. But whereever you go the approach is similar to Elphinstone - hang out under the boat and wait for the sharks to cruise in.

St Johns Caves & Fury Shoal
Throughout St Johns and Fury Shoal you can find several shallow cave systems - a highlight for many a photographer. Here you really can lose yourself in the shallow and safe cave system before working your way out onto the outer reef. Atmospheric images and creative lighting challenges make this a must do dive for that shot that is a bit different.

Dolphins
The resident pod of dolphins at Sataya reef are ideal for photographers. You can snorkel here and times are strictly controlled by local regulations.

Disembarkation
You will normally leave the boat after breakfast on your last day and be transferred to a hotel for the day. Your final transfer will take you to the airport for your return flight home. Please do speak to the travel consultant at the time of booking to confirm the exact last day arrangements as it can vary.