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Emperor - Fury and Friends

Wadi Lahami & Fury Shoals Reef System

Departing from Hamata Port

Experience Level: Emperor requires that you are a PADI Open Water diver or equivalent for this itinerary.

 

This cruise starts with a very short sail to one of the Wadi Lahami sites near to the Port of Hamata and perfect for that first check dive. You then spend a week diving, diving, diving! Below are some of the sites that can be visited during your trip and your guides will ensure you get the best experience possible allowing for prevailing weather conditions.

 

The Wadi Lahami reef system offers sites such as the Abu Galawa Soraya, a stunning reef with a small wreck of a 17m sailing boat sitting at 18mt depth, still intact after more than 25 years, with lots of fish life. Soft and hard corals abound in sections of the reef and there are plenty of pinnacles to explore offering dive options at depths down to 24m.

 

Abu Galawa Kebir is close to its smaller sister, Abu Galawa Soraya, and is famous for its tunnels and south plateau. The Tien Hsing Chinese tugboat wreck has some stunning soft and hard coral bouquets running its 34m length. But the wreck is not the only reason to visit as the large reef provides plenty of opportunity for other dives along the walls and pinnacles; the tunnels are ideal for novice cave diver.

 

Sha'ab Maksur is a large and varied reef that is often compared to the Red Sea classic, Elphinstone, with steep drop offs and strong currents making it a dive where some diving experience is beneficial. North and South plateaus start at around 20 metres and extend to around 40 metres, although the plateau has some pinnacles that can be enjoyed on the ascent and safety stop. On the plateaus, and drifting down the east wall, you can encounter some species that make a proud entry in your log book, hammerheads, reef sharks, mantas and whale sharks have all visited Maksur!

 

Also in the Fury Shoals system, the Sha'ab Claudio captivates divers and enthrals photographers with its shallow swim-through system, perfect for leisurely exploration. With five entrances and exits and shallow in depth, you're never 'lost' and can just enjoy the shafts of light dancing through the caverns. Rays, nudibranchs, large Napoleon wrasse and morays are all frequently spotted here; you may even see a white tip reef shark or turtle pass by.

 

Sha'ab Sataya is situated at the very south of Fury Shoals; this huge natural lagoon is formed by a massive reef (sha'ab) rising from the depths. The fame of Sataya is its steep drop offs along with pelagic sightings and protected pinnacles smothered in soft and hard corals. But the real stars can be the huge pods of spinner dolphins that frequent here, meaning Sataya has become the 'Dolphin House' of Hamata.

 

Due to the Hamata Port being so close to Fury Shoals, we are able to offer departures on two days a week without compromising the diving time.

 

Winter 2013/14 (Dec 17 to April 30): Departure days Tuesday & Wednesday

 

Guests arriving on 1st departure day:
Check-in around 10 pm. Overnight in port. Next day diving at Fury Shoals all day with an early evening dive; return to port to collect guests arriving on 2nd departure day. Overnight in port, depart next morning. 5 more days diving, then transfer to our dive centre at the Zabargad Berenice Resort to pack before leaving for the airport. Total number of diving days: 6.

 

Guests arriving on 2nd departure day:
Check-in around 10 pm. Overnight in port, sail next morning. After 5 days' diving return to port; guests who arrived on 1st departure day disembark. You stay on board for one more diving day until the afternoon, making sure to allow 24 hours before flying. Return to port and transfer to the Zabargad Berenice Resort for an overnight stay on soft All-inclusive. Next day transfer to the airport on for your flight. Total number of diving days: 6.

 

This is a MAX itinerary and depending on sea conditions we aim to offer up to 28 dives in the summer and most trips do 25/26 but in the winter, realistically only 24 are possible. This requires getting up early each day. The boat will not move to a different site for each dive. At least 3 dives per day will be guided with other dives taken with a buddy. You must observe the 24 hours dive/fly rule. We can't control the weather but we do our best to max the dives!

 

Please note: You are expected to be able to complete each dive with your buddy or following the guide. The guides may not enter the water and may remain onboard as surface support for some dives. As with all diving activities, the dive guide has the final decision regarding any divers competency to complete any particular dive. This is a sample itinerary and is subject to change without notice. The itinerary will depend on several factors including, but not limited to, weather, diving ability of guests & the number of other boats already present at the various dive sites. 

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