Daedalus - Rocky - Zabargad

Sunday

Leave Port Galib for a day of rehabilitation

 

Monday     

Deadlus is situated 100 miles south of the Brother Island and is not really an island. In fact it is a huge circular reef with a lighthouse in its centre which hosts a group of soldiers like at The Brothers. A large bridge reunites this area built in the southwest part of the edge of the reef where the boats come to moor. A stunning excursion when soldiers permit it, is  a visit to the top of the lighthouse where the panoramic view is unique !

The possibilities to dive are numerous because of the size of the reef. The northern part is often chosen when the weather conditions allow it, for the first dive at dawn, and is an ideal area for large gatherings. Grey sharks and white tip reef sharks, schools of hammerheads, big trevally and barracudas. Manta rays and eagle rays are part of the visitors of this area. There is also a wreck located north of the reef, but unfortunately off limits to dive without special blends. The peculiarities of the drop offs on the west, besides the beautiful and soft black corals, are a huge colony of sea anemones with their clownfish in the more shallow area of the drop off, a place that is also nice for snorkelling. The wall on the east side consisting of madreporic formations is also a place where all types of gatherings are possible. Near the bridge the coral “pyramid” is lying, coral formations attached to the drop off at a depth of 8 metres that are rising to the surface

 

Tuesday:     Daedalus (shark)

 

Wednesday:   Rocky (2 dives) Zabargad (1 dive)

These 2 islands are separated by about 2 kilometres to the North East of St John.

Of the 2 islands Zabargard (23’ 26’ 25.38° North 36’ 11 ‘ 52.75° East )is roughly 10 times larger than its little sister Rocky. The highest point of the island is located at 235 m.

On the north east coast of the island of Zabargard, lies a Russian wreck at a depth of between 5 and 24 metres. We will, however, focus first on the south west coast with its coral garden extending over about 30 miles at a slight depth of 10 to 15 metres surrounded by flaws and fissures letting in rays of sunlight which finish in a deep drop-off.

 

Rocky boasts beautiful drop offs covered in wet corals, gorgonian corals and sponges, beginning in the north and finishing in the east and west and ending up in the south of the island. These drop offs enable sightings of schools of fish, ray mantas, hammerhead sharks, whitetip sharks and sometimes tiger sharks. For the Tec dive, divers will be treated to a wreck located at a depth of between 70 and 90 m

No night dive is possible on these two islands

Thursday:     Fury Shoal & Wadi el gimal (Claudia -Sataya Dolphin)  
 

Shaab Claudio is one of the largest caves in the shape of a cathedral (maximum 9 metres depth) and offering a magical play of lights. It is not uncommon to encounter small white-tip sharks  along the tunnel and very often a large napoleon fish wandering around under the boat. There, once again, we will finish the dive in a coral garden going from 5 to 20 m deep.
 

Sataya is a large reef over 2 kilometres long. In the summer the temperature of the water is more than 33 degrees in the lagoon.

This site is home to a colony of more than a hundred long beaked dolphins (Stenella longirostris) often categorised into several groups. Depending on the time of year, baby dolphins can be observed performing with their parents. It is possible to get close to these magnificent sea mammals while snorkelling. We will end the dive in a superb coral garden from 5/8 metres of depth and beautiful schools of fish pennant coralfish,  red mullet, carynx and napoleon fish.

 

Friday:     Elphinstone
 

At dawn, we will reach the reef Elphinstone, the most spectacular reef that grows on the north and south. 4 dives will ensure the very best of the red sea. Elphinstone north is a plateau which descends to 25 m  and that reaches the second plateau on 45 m depth with a nearly constant current.of benthic fish

Pelagic fish and schools of hammerheads are often passing here. The east and west walls are covered with multitudes of corals, gorgonians and black corals and a high concentration of benthic fish and corals. The drift dives are starting from the north and ending on the south side of the reef

 

Elphinstone South is unique below a depth of 25 metres, where a wall with the background of blue forms a huge natural arch that opens up at 55 metres depth and offers a very impressive sight. Sharks, tunas and schools of jacks are often present

We will return early afternoon to the port Galib harbour

The final route will be discussed on board and is depending on the weather conditions, time of the year, the standard of the divers and naturally their wishes.