An excellent one week holiday on the MV Orchid Liveaboard visting the Red Sea's northern wrecks and reefs. Lots of very clear warm water diving with some fantastic scenery and wildlife. The crew were very very helpful and the food was also top class. With unbroken sunshine and lots of diving (3 day dives and 1 night dive each day) it was an excellent way to get as much diving done as possible.
Sunday 22-Oct-06
Early Flight from Manchester Airport to Sharm El Sheik. Our Reps then picked us up from the airport and the scariest part of the trip was being transferred to the Boat. Once at the boat we were greeted by the crew and made to feel very welcome. Gradually over the course of the day everyone else arrived from there various flights and transfers. Once everyone was on board we left the harbour to moor at the location of our first dive the next day.
Monday 23-Oct-06
First Day of diving at the Ras Katy Reef just outside of Sharm El Sheik Harbour. This was used as a check dive to get everyone used to diving in the Red Sea and also to make sure all the kit was working OK. Fortunately no problems were encountered by anyone and we headed off to do a Drift Dive at the Marsa Baureika Reef. Third dive of the day was at the reef of Shoab Mahmoud. Our first night dive was also at Shoab Mahmoud.
Tuesday 24-Oct-06
We were woken this morning by an unexpected crossing of the Gulf of Suez. This very choppy crossing which began while we were still in our cabins was not a very nice start to the day and made some people ill. Once the other side of the Gulf we did our first wreck dives. Using the Zodiac's (RIB's) we travelled out from the calm area where the boat was moored to visit the Marcus (Chrisoula K) and then the Carnatic. Because of the crossing we didn't manage to get a third day dive but did a night dive on the Ghiannis D wreck. This turned out to be quite eventful as when we surfaced the seas were very rough and we all had to try and get back on the RIB's in the dark.
Wednesday 25-Oct-06
We repeated the Ghiannis D dive in the daylight and then headed back across the Gulf of Suez. Once back on the other side we moored in a sheltered area by Shag Rock and the dive the Kingston Wreck and Shag Rock Reef. We then made a further dive on the Shag Rock Reef and also a high speed drift dive at night.
Thursday 26-Oct-06
We headed over to the World Famous wreck of the SS Thistlegorm. Fortunately we arrived before the day boats and had our first dive before the crowds of divers arrived. Our second and third dives were quite busy with other divers but still good fun. Our night dive on the Thistlegorm was our first opportunity to swim with turtles.
Friday 27-Oct-06
Visted the Dunraven wreck which was different as it is lying upside down. We then drifted along the Coral Reef and got picked up by the Zodiac. The Boat then moved to a wonderfull calm Lagoon where we did some snorkelling before diving Small Crack Reef. The boat then moved location again and we did a dive on Shark Reef and Yolanda Reef and Wreck. Our night dive was back over where we started our holiday at Ras Katy.
Saturday 28-Oct-06
Drift dive along the Ras Umm Sid found lots of schooling Barracuda's. Our final dive was to see the tanks and old military vehicles dumped in the sea below the Electric Station. Unfortunately that was the end of the diving. The boat headed back to the Harbour while we packed our bags. We were then transferred to the Domina Hotel.
Sunday 29-Oct-06
Spent the rest of the day at the very disappointing Domina Hotel complex but we didn't come out here for the hotel so it didn't put down the fantastic week's diving we had just had.
Overall a thoroughly excellent week of diving that we would recommend to anyone. Amazing reefs, wrecks and wildlife, excellent underwater visibility, clear skies, lots of sun, and a very helpful crew and dive guide.
Red Sea Diving Holiday on the MV Orchid Liveaboard
First dive of our Red Sea Liveaboard Holiday. Lovely warm waters, Excellent visibility, Check Dive - No Real Problems.
Drift Dive. Went deep to start with then drifted along coral beds to finish where the boat picked us up.
Dive on our own without the Dive guide. Looked at all the coral in the shallower waters before heading slightly deeper to check out the sea floor.
Didn't really know where we were. Swam about looking at coral before heading back to the boat.
Took the RIB (Zodiac) out to the dive site. Excellent Dive on the Marcus (Otherwise known as Chrisoula K). Found the cargo of tiles.
Impressive propellor section that you could swim under and round.
Started the dive at Dusk. It then got Dark when we were under water. Visted the engine room but stayed primarily round the Stern section where the RIB was anchored. Surfaced to very choppy dark seas. Should have taken more than one torch between us!!
A repeat of yesterday evening's dive, but this time in the daylight. Visted the Engine room in the stern section again before going to have a look at the Bow Section.
Got the zodiac out to the site of the wreck and then realised I had forgotten my weight belt. Did the dive anyway which was OK apart from the ascent was a bit uncontrolled. Had to send up SMB due to number of boats overhead
Got dropped off by the zodiac and then drifted along the coral back to the main boat.
Fast Speed Drift Dive at night. Got dropped off by the Zodiac and then drifted along the coral searching for the wildlife hiding and sleeping. We eventually surfaced way past our boat and got picked up by the Zodiac.
Dropped down onto the Stern section and visted the propeller and rudder. Ascended to discover the anti-aircraft guns. Then headed over to have a look at the explosion damage before heading back to the surface.
2nd dive on the Thistlegorm. Entered the holds through the explosion damage and then explored the cargo of Coal, Trucks, Motorbikes in Holds 3, 2 & 1.
Strong Current. Descended Down to the Bridge and then explored round the upper section of the boats deck and then fought agaist the surrent to reach the bow. We then had to climb up the front of the bow due to the current to reach the anchor at the top.
Excellent Dive. Swam with Turtles. Found lots of other sleeping fishes.
Boat lying upside down. Visted stern section first and propeller. then went inside and travelled along the inside of the wreck which is very open before coming out at the Bow. Then drifted along the coral garden.
Drift dive through the wonderfully colourfull Small Crack back to the boat in the Lagoon.
Headed over to Shark Reef over a 750m drop-off. Then drifted to Yolanda Reef and the toilets of the Yolanda Wreck. Dive didn't really live up to it's expectations.
Night Dive over the Ras Caty. Saw lots of Tiger Fish.
Got dropped off by Zodiac and then drifted along the reef. Found lots of Barracudas. Got picked up by the Zodiac at the end of the Reef.
A fairly Deep dive to look at the old tanks and disused milatry vehicles dumped in the sea by the old Electric Station. Saw a Stingray on the way back to the boat. Last Dive of the Holiday