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Project Shark: Brothers & Elphinstone

DEPARTING FROM HURGHADA OR PORT GHALIB

 

You must be a PADI Open Water diver or equivalent and have logged a minimum of 30 dives to join this safari.

As with all diving activities, the dive guide has the final decision regarding any divers competency to complete any particular dive.

Please note that night diving and snorkelling will only be allowed on some parts of this itinerary as it includes marine parks where this is prohibited. 

 

 

Itinerary Highlights

Taking in the world-famous marine parks at Brothers and Elphinstone, this thrilling itinerary of spectacular drop-offs is perfect for divers keen to glimpse some big animals at these remote off-shore reefs. Teh addition of Safaga adds to this itinerary off with wrecks and fringing reefs. Learn about the biology and behaviours of sharks within the Red Sea with nightly lectures from a representative of "Project Shark".

 Project Shark

The aim of 'Project Shark' is to highlight the global issues facing sharks, with a Red Sea focus, as well as enjoying some of the most spectacular reefs that the Red Sea has to offer. The program has been curated by expert dive guide and marine biologist Paul Vinten. Paul and several members of the team are able to deliver this program. During seminars you will have the opportunity to gain an insight to the biology and behaviour of sharks. There is the possibility to learn about this globally endangered marine species and what divers we can do to aid their protection.

 

Elphinstone

A Red Sea legend; a finger shaped reef, with north and south plateaus covered in hard and soft corals. This unpredictable and exciting reef is truly an awesome location where hammerhead sharks are regularly spotted in the summer and oceanic whitetip sharks often congregate in large numbers during late autumn.

 

Safaga

The area around Safaga has some great diving, the best being the offshore reefs of Panorama Reef, Middle Reef and Abu Kafan. Some divers say this area equals the great sites of Ras Mohamed. The diving offers a combination of shallow reef dives and drop-offs, as well as the famous wreck of the Salem Express. Around 500 people perished in one of the worst marine tragedies of all times. The 100-metre ferryboat was on its way back from Mecca to Safaga after the annual Muslim pilgrimage in December 1991 when it hit the reef during a stormy night and sunk rapidly without giving the crew and passengers the chance to board the lifeboats. It is now home to a thriving underwater life, including a famous resident frogfish, blue-spotted stingrays, angel and butterfly fish. The ship itself is covered in a large quantity of hard and soft corals. It is one of the largest wrecks in the Egyptian Red Sea, roughly the same size as the Thistlegorm.

 

Brother Islands

The northernmost part of Egypt's offshore marine park is made up of two islands 60 km away from the coast and 140 km south from Hurghada. The larger island (complete with lighthouse from 1883) is 400 metres long with a spectacular plateau on the south east corner which is dotted with coral mountains and famous for thresher and grey reef shark sightings. The western side of the island has two impressive wrecks which both lie almost vertical on the side of the reef. The most spectacular is Numidia, a large cargo steamer which sank in 1901 and now lies on the tip of the island between 10 and 80 metres covered in soft corals and frequented by large pelagic predators. The smaller wreck of the Aida (sitting between 30 and 65 metres) was a lighthouse authority supply vessel which sank in bad weather in 1957. The smaller island, whilst only a little over 200 metres long hosts an incredible concentration and variety of marine life. There is a pristine fan coral forest, a massive collection of hard and soft corals and compelling overhangs to explore. The highlight is the fish life; with regular seasonal sightings of hammerhead, thresher, grey reef and oceanic whitetip sharks.

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