Cruising the waters around the Sinai, the Northern itinerary is a collection of reefs and wrecks. One-week safaris start in Sharm El Sheikh where divers join the liveaboard and following check-in are given a full briefing. The first day’s diving is within the reef systems of Sharm while the day-boats head home, you are left with more diving and then the myriad of stars as a backdrop.

Dive sites include:

The Thistlegorm
The world famous wreck SS Thistlegorm, which was sunk in 1941 in the area of Sha’ab Ali in the Gulf of Suez. She was packed to the gunwales with a cargo of supplies destined for the British Fifth Army based in Alexandria. Armoured Bren-Gun Carriers, BSA Motorcycles, jeeps, trucks, rolling stock, aeroplane parts, stacks of rifles, radio equipment, munitions, and a plentiful supply of Wellington boots can all be seen during your dive. The Thistlegorm is heaven for wreck enthusiasts, but is also one of the most underrated fish dives in the area, attracting schooling barracuda and providing a hunting ground for giant tuna and snapper.

Abu Nuhas
The reef of Abu Nuhas lies 3 hours away due north on the edges of the Suez Canal and over the centuries has claimed the lives of dozens of vessels. There are 4 wrecks which are dived regularly lying against her northerly edge. Look out for dolphins.

The Giannis D
Launched in 1969 as the Shoyo Maru, the Giannis D was built by the Kuryshima Dock Company of Imabari, Japan. In April 1983 on a trip to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia with a cargo of teak planks, thinking that there was nothing but the Red Sea to traverse, the captain fell asleep in his cabin after ordering 'full speed ahead'. He had, however, not reckoned on Abu Nuhas and it was not long before he was very rudely awoken by the sound of the ship being driven hard onto the north west corner of the reef. Today she is broken in 3 pieces, the bow by itself, parts of the midships with teak planks scattered around and lastly, the intact stern of the ship which really makes the dive. Full of rooms and passageways that run off at strange angles as she is lying at 45 degrees at the base of the reef. A well mangled prop marks the deepest point at 23 metres.

The Chrisoula K
A 'General Cargo Vessel' of 3,720 tonnes, the ship was built in the German Baltic port of Lubeck and launched in 1954. Lloyd's List for September 1981 included the following item under "Casualty Report": "Chrisoula K (Greek). Suez, Aug 31 - MV Chrisoula K, ran aground yesterday in the Red Sea, sustaining serious damage but no casualties, shipping sources said today. The vessel hit coral reefs near the Egyptian naval base at Ras Banas. Rescue units from the naval base picked up the 21 member crew unscathed and took them to Suez. The vessel, carrying floor tiles from Italy, was on her way to Jeddah. The seriously damaged vessel was considered a total loss". Just like the Giannis D a few years later, the captain had fallen asleep on a trip to Jeddah after thinking he had cleared any danger after exiting the Suez Canal, only to be rudely awakened as the ship went full steam onto the reef. Today the front half is very broken up and scattered through wave action, as a considerable part of the front end rode up and onto the reef. The stern section is good for penetration but seems a little unstable and with large waves above you, there is a lot of creaking and movement from within.

The Carnatic
The Peninsula & Oriental Passenger Steamer "Carnatic" was built by Samuda Bros of London and classified as an 'iron framed planked passenger steamer of 1776 tons'. Her dimensions were 89.8m x 11.6m with a draught of 7.8m. In addition to square-rigged sails, she was powered by a single 4 cylinder compound inverted engine which produced a very handsome 2,442 hp. In September of 1869 she gently struck the reef but did not sink immediately, in fact the captain and the 210 passengers and crew spent the night on board as no one believed that a steel hulled ship, sitting gently on a coral reef, would be in too much trouble. After 36 hours on the reef though, due to the pivoting of the boat with the rise and fall of the waves causing stresses on the keel, she snapped in half with the stern sliding off the reef taking 5 passengers and 26 crew with it. The aft followed shortly afterwards and diving the wreck today you can see that the two halves have seemingly joined up again underwater. She lies on her port side in 30 metres of water. A great wreck with plenty to see including her single prop, masts, square portholes and lots of broken wine bottles in the bottom of the hold in the aft section.

Ras Mohammed
Ras Mohammed peninsula separates the Gulf of Suez and the Gulf of Aqaba. Currents flow out of both gulfs and bathe Ras Mohammed in rich nutrients, which assures plentiful and varied marine life. At Shark Reef and Yolanda wreck, many fish species can be found: groupers, barracuda, batfish, Napoleon wrasses, blue-spot stingrays and a special treat, crocodile fish! The Yolanda sank with a load of bathtubs and toilets. It's an amusing and memorable site to see groupers swimming around a huge mountain of toilets at the bottom of the sea.

The Straits of Tiran (Gordon , Jackson, Thomas & Woodhouse Reefs)
The Straits of Tiran rank among the finest attractions of the Red Sea thanks to their crucial historical and geographical importance, their distinctive topography and, of course, their first-rate diving sites. The straits are formed by the island of Tiran to the east, and the Sinai coastline to the west. The confluence of deep waters, continental plate, and narrow passage creates a bottleneck through which a strong, dense flow of plankton is funneled to the coral reefs associated with these mountain peaks. A food chain is set in motion which links the plankton, coral organisms and reef fish to the ever ravenous sharks which find easy pickings here. Indeed, this is one spot where it is still possible to encounter sharks on virtually every dive.

Gordon Reef
The most southerly reef of the four has a different topography from the others. This site has both a shallow plateau area and drop offs, and can be done as a mooring or a drift dive. On the northern edge of the reef is the remains of the wreck Lovilla which has been on top of the reef for a long time. It only remains there by habit as most of the hull has corroded away .
The current on the south edge of Gordon is rarely strong but be aware for it as it can cut across the plateau.
The boats moor up on the southern plateau in about 8m of water. The dives are usually conducted from the mooring and heading in a easterly direction to the drop off which starts at about 16m (worth keeping an eye out into the blue here!).
From the drop off heading North following the edge is a small garden eel area along with coral encrusted drums. At the turn round point of the dive plan you ascend to about 8m and follow the reef back to the boat on the plateau area.
If this is done as a drift dive the boat drops you at the mooring and will pick up on the northern edge. This follows the same area as a mooring dive but then continues along the drop off which turns more into a plateau as it reaches the corner. This is a regular for the sharks and can be a very high speed drift.

Thomas Reef
This is the smallest reef in the Straits, but also one of the most popular. The dive is governed by the weather conditions as the western side is often impossible to pick divers up from. The dive is done as a drift dive with potentially strong currents on the southern and northern ends of the reef. The ends are vertical walls with a large plateau at about 25m on the south eastern side. This plateau often has sleeping sharks on the sand patches and the coral has a fence of Gorgonia fans at the end. After the Gorgonia fans the reef returns to a wall before coming to the corner of the reef, watch the currents. If conditions allow it is possible to go round to the other side of the reef, which is a wall disappearing into the deep.

Woodhouse Reef
This is the longest reef of the four in the Straits of Tiran and is dived as a drift dive usually from South to North.
Jumping at the southern part of the reef is a wall to about 30m. It is worth looking on to the sand patches below to try and spot sleeping sharks. The coral covers all the way from the surface down the wall which becomes more of a slope as the dive progresses. Half way through the dive there is a canyon going along the reef at about 25m which spreads out into a coral garden with sand alleys. This is usually where the current starts to pick up. If the conditions on the west side of the reef are rough the dive has to be ended at the end of the coral garden, which is usually reached after about 50 minutes. If weather conditions allow it is sometimes possible to continue the dive beyond this point. Where the reef leaves the surface and funnels down towards Jackson Reef. This area is referred to as the washing machine due to the very strong currents going in all directions.

Jackson Reef
This is the most northerly reef in the Straits of Tiran. The dives are usually conducted from the moorings on the south side which is sheltered from the main swell and currents. The boats moor up in a lull spot of the current where the wall is around 40m. After descending down the wall to your planned depth the dive is to the south western corner, keeping the reef on the right. Towards the corner the reef levels out to a gentle slope from about 6m with the corals in this area being some of the best in the area. It is around here that the current can pick up. On the way back, which is done in shallow water, there are many inlets into the reef which are full of soft corals, making an excellent place to conduct the safety stop. This site can also be done as a drift dive heading from the mooring towards the East with the reef on the left where it is mostly wall diving with excellent corals. This can get to be a high speed drift!

All itineraries are based on weather conditions and the dive sites may change sometimes without notice

Special wreck trips departing from Sharm el Sheikh, and diving most of the known wrecks in the area - some 19 wrecks!Talks and slide shows will be presented for each wreck. Dive include the Rosalie Moller, Million Hope, Abu Nuhas, The Thistlegorm and more...

Suitable for all qualified divers - although Rosalie Moller is a 40m wreck so you will need the appropriate qualification or experience to dive her.

The Brothers Islands : Big Brother and Little Brother – are two isolated outcrops that rise out of the water in the middle of the sea.

The Brother Islands have an enormous concentration of underwater life in a reduced area. The walls are covered in hard and soft corals and the abundance of fish make these islands un-missable. As an added extra, the two wrecks of the Numidia and Aida offer variety to the diving at these spots.

Big Brother (the larger of the two) is about the size of two rugby fields and is home to a lonely lighthouse outpost. Little Brother, about a mile away would be hard pushed to accommodate the All Black Squad, but both offer spectacular diving experiences. Sharks are common as are numerous pelagic species. Diving the Brother Islands is like diving in the blue with a coral reef for company. Big Brother also has two wrecks; The Aida 2, an Egyptian troop carrier, and the Numidia, an older British cargo vessel.

The Egyptian Government has recognised the special nature of the Brother Islands and has installed strict regulations governing diving around them.

Only boats of a high standard are permitted to make the journey and no anchoring on the reef is tolerated. Special mooring buoys and lines must be used. This has protected the delicate ecosystem beneath the surface for generations of diver to enjoy.

This itinerary leaves from Hurghada or Marsa Alam. You will set sail for Big Brother and Little Brother and the premier sites in the Safaga area including Abhu Gifan and Paradise Reef.

All itineraries are based on weather conditions and the dive sites may change sometimes without notice.

Departing from Marsa Alam and visiting the three top sites in the Southern Red Sea. The Brothers Islands, Daedelus and Elphinstone.

The Brothers: It is easy to become overwhelmed by the shark action here and forget to enjoy the islands amazing walls, which are covered in gigantic soft corals. There are two excellent shipwrecks on Big Brother, while shark sightings are almost guaranteed on Little Brother. Here greys, white tips, silver tips, hammerheads and Threshers are all present when conditions are right. Whale Sharks and Manta's are also frequently spotted.

Elphinstone Reef is a legend in the Red Sea. One of the most beautiful reefs in the Red Sea.

The Daedalus Reef is a huge reef formation that lies at about 180 km south of Brother Islands. The reef is surrounded by a sheer wall and strong currents allow for fantastic drift diving.

All itineraries are based on weather conditions and the dive sites may change sometimes without notice.

Departing from Marsa Alam and visiting the Brothers Islands and Elphinstone Reef. These trips may be one way sailings with a possible road transfer at the start or end of the safari.

The Brother Islands are two islands rising from the depths of the water in the middle of the sea. A part of the Marine Park, they offer breath-taking underwater scenery, wall diving, wreck diving and an abundance of marine wildlife.

Elphinstone
Elphinstone Reef is a legend. One of the most beautiful reefs in the Red Sea, with its north and south plateaus covered in hard and soft corals and visiting pelagics, this truly is an awesome reef. The slender formation growing from the abyss to the surface offers spectacular wall diving. Huge gorgonians, brightly coloured soft corals and hard coral formations create a backdrop of beauty for the usual brightly coloured reef fish, shoals of jacks, barracuda, wrasse, and sharks. Hammerheads, white tips, grey reefs and oceanic white tips are all species commonly seen at this one special reef.

Strong currents will take you on one of the most adrenaline charged drifts of your life along amazing sheer walls covered in soft corals and teaming with fish. The place to get the real buzz is on the North plateau you'll need motorised fins to reach it, but when you do you will find yourself surrounded by white tips, grey reefs or even hammerheads. On the south plateau there is a deep archway at 55m where Thresher sharks can often be seen. In summer schools of Scallopped Hammerheads regularly congregate.

Departing from Marsa Alam and focusing on the many reefs in the St Johns area just north of the Sudan border.

St. Johns
This massive reef system is located furthest south and is the most remote. There are dozens of excellent dives, some on tiny circular reefs which come to just below the surface, such as Four Metre Reef. Huge shoals of fish congregate around spectacular vertical underwater gardens full of soft corals. Fusiliers, surgeon fish and unicorn fish often swarm together, in one big feeding frenzy. Turtles are common as are Napoleons and grey reef sharks. Hammerheads, Grey sharks, Silvertip Sharks and White tip Reef Sharks can often be spotted out in the blue. Barracudas, Tuna and Mackerel are also often sighted here, as well as rare sightings of Manta Rays and Dolphins.

All itineraries are based on weather conditions and the dive sites may change sometimes without notice.

Departing from Marsa Alam. Using the South Direct flight, and visiting the best remote sites in the Southern Egyptian Red Sea, Deadelus, Rocky, Zabargad & St Johns.

The Daedalus Reef is a huge reef formation that lies at about 180 km south of Brother Islands. The reef is surrounded by a sheer wall and strong currents allow for fantastic drift diving. Look for Thresher sharks at 30 m.

Rocky Island hosts a fringing reef that circles the entire perimeter of the island. Dropping steeply to an astonishing depth, with a constant current flow, favouring the growth of all different kinds of life

The Island of Zabargad is an amazing dive spot. An enormous mountain coming out of the water surrounded by a lagoon and circling reef. A couple of wrecks and some decent diving with a great variety of both corals and reef fish.

DAEDELUS
The small, isolated Reef, also known as Abu el-Kizan lies nearly halfway to Saudi Arabia. Its walls are equally as good as the Brothers Islands, carpeted in softcorals, hard corals & enormous sea fans . Some of the hard coral is awesome and and the underwater scenery is just as spectacular as Little Brother.Dived less often and more unspoiled this place is our pick of all the Southern sites. Expect to see schooling Baraccuda, Jacks, Tuna, Rainbow runners, Grey Reef Sharks and Hammerheads. Threshers and Dolphins can also be seen on occasions as can Mantas and Whale Sharks. A large field of beautiful anemones/clownfish, easily ranks with Anemone City at Ras Mohammed.

Rocky & Zabargad
These Islands lie just a few km north of Sudan and offer very different dives. At Rocky the walls drop sharply from just a few metres below the surface, tall dangling sea whips sprout from deeper water, while several great caves and overhangs offer a great place to watch the sharks go by. Zabagard is the largest island for miles around and has the most fantastic turquoise lagoon. Underwater on the southern side a sandy slope with a lovely coral tower leads to the drop off where hammerheads and manta rays can sometimes be encountered cruising up and down. There are several wrecks round the island most have yet to be identified.

St. Johns
This massive reef system is located furthest south and is the most remote, There are dozens of excellent dives, some on tiny circular reefs which come to just below the surface, such as Four Metre Reef. Huge shoals of fish congregate around spectacular vertical underwater gardens full of soft corals. Fusiliers, surgeon fish and unicorn fish often swarm together, in one big feeding frenzy. Turtles are common as are Napoleons and grey reef sharks. Hammerheads, Grey sharks, Silvertip Sharks and White tip Reef Sharks can often be spotted out in the blue. Barracudas, Tuna and Mackerel are also often sighted here, as well as rare sightings of Manta Rays and Dolphins.

All itineraries are based on weather conditions and the dive sites may change sometimes without notice.