northern california rainbow divers, Egypt
trip policies • 2010 • maldives • thailand

Red Sea / Egypt

October 2009
Northern California Rainbow Divers
August 1, 2008

Trip Leader: Sharon Ponder (in conjunction with Greg Hammon of UnderseaX)
100 Lincoln Village Circle #102
Larkspur, CA 94939
C: 415-465-0640
ponder.sharon@comcast.net

Fly & Sea Dive Adventures – Red Sea, Egypt
Six days Liveaboard Diving Plus Highlights of Ancient Egypt

"Egypt and The Red Sea should be on every diver's list. With such a rich combination of ancient Egyptian history and great diving being both accessible and abundant, this is one destination that should not be missed". (Brian Miller about a recent trip to Egypt)

The Red Sea is considered one of the best dive destinations in the world. Thousands of kilometres of coastline are blessed with extensive reef formations and islands. The underwater scenery is rich with coral-covered walls and beautiful "gardens". Over 400 varieties of coral and 1500 species of fish, turtle and sharks make the Red Sea their home.

Jacques Cousteau once said "The Red Sea is a corridor of marvels. The happiest hours of my diving experience have been spent there". That statement is as true today as it was when Jacques Cousteau explored here in the 1950's and 60's. Many divers still spend many happy hours diving the Egyptian Red Sea, whether it's the Tiran Reefs or the wreck of the Thistlegorm in the north or the Brother Islands in the central Red Sea or the huge reefs of St Johns and Elphinstone in the deep south. One could spend a lifetime here and never see it all.

QueseirLiveaboard Itinerary
Simply the Best (from Marsa Ghalib Port or Hurghada)

Elphinstone - Brothers - Daedalus Reef

Note: 50 logged dives required by Egyptian Law

WARNING: This is ADVANCED and sometimes strenuous diving! At some of the best sites, inflatable dinghies are used, requiring a backward roll to enter the water, and a re-entry without a ladder. It’s fine to hand gear up and then kick your way back into the zodiac BUT you must be physically fit enough for this type of diving!

Dive the Best Top 3 sites in this area: Big and Little Brothers, Daedalus Reef and Elphinstone.

The Brother Islands are the pinnacles of two undersea mountains rising from the depths of the abyss and are located about 60 miles offshore. Part of the Marine Park Islands National Park, these islands offer stunning wall diving, with the walls being covered in soft corals and forests of gorgonians, creating a kaleidoscope of ever-changing colours. They attract a diverse array of marine species and large pelagics. Large tuna, Jacks and Snappers cruise in the blue, accompanied by occasional Hammerheads, Silvertips, Silky and Oceanic White Tip Sharks and Mantas. Even the rare Thresher Shark can be found here. Sightings of the Grey Reef Shark are almost guaranteed on the North and South Plateau of Small Brother.

MarsaalamFor the wreck diver, the wrecks of the Aida II, an Egyptian supply vessel, and the Numidia, a cargo ship, lie on the walls of the Big Brother. Both are covered in a rich growth of soft and hard corals. Marine life includes a family of Napoleon Wrasse and Grey Reef Sharks.

Daedalus Reef, also part of the Marine Park, is a large, oval reef with a lighthouse and is the furthest offshore reef in the Egyptian Red Sea. Its deep walls and drop-offs offer some of the most spectacular diving to be found. Daedalus has mountainous, pristine, hard coral formations. There is also a strong chance of spotting schooling Hammerheads, and grey reef sharks.

Elphinstone, with its sheer walls covered in soft corals, offers a likely encounter with Oceanic White Tip sharks.

Go to http://www.emperordivers.com for more info.

Emperor EliteEmperor Fleet – M/Y Emperor Elite (Gold Class)

Custom-designed and built to a superior standard EMPEROR ELITE is a 38 metre boat accommodating a maximum of 20 guests in 9 twin-berth cabins and a double master suite, all with ensuite and air conditioning. For added comfort, and lighter luggage, each guest enjoys two towels and a bathrobe!

Add to that the three sundecks, dive deck with platform, jacuzzi/hot tub, two air-conditioned salons and air-conditioned dining room and you have a spacious vessel complete with all the diving and safety equipment including two large RIBs with outboards.

Boat boat boat boat boat

 

Some Red Sea Creatures:

Spine Porcupine Spanish Dancer Nudibranch Thorny Seahorse
Spine Porcupine Fish Spanish Dancer Nudibranch Thorny Seahorse
Giant Clam Triggerfish Millepora Alcicornia
Giant Clam Triggerfish Millepora Alcicornis
(Stinging Coelenterata)

EgyptLand Tour of Egypt

6000 years of history demand some topside activities:

Explore Cairo's markets, the Cairo museum and the nearby pyramids and Sphinx.

Then fly to Luxor to be amazed by the Temple of Karnak, the Valley of Kings; Queens and take a Nile Cruise to Aswan.

Cairo:

Luxor (Nile Cruise boat):

The Temple of Karnak

Built in the 20th century B.C., it is the biggest of the ancient Egyptian temples and was the seat of the god Amun, and the administrative capital of the country. A visit to the temple begins at the sacred quay, decorated with a Nilometer showing flood levels of the Nile and then passes through an avenue, bordered by statues of ram-headed sphinxes, to the temple itself. Inside the temple there is an open courtyard with a smaller temple on the left-hand side. Then there is a large hypostyle hall, built during the reigns of Seti I and Rameses II, containing 134 pillars, twelve of which are topped with capitals in the form of open papyrus flowers.

The Luxor Temple

This was built by Amenhotep III as a private residence for god Amun, but Rameses II later added statues of himself to either side of the temple: two seated and two standing. Inside there is an open coutyard built by Rameses II, comprising a pillared colonnade; and a second courtyard by Amenhotep III with pillars decorated with papyrus designs. The Luxor Museum contains a remarkable collection of ancient Egyptian sculpture found during the course of restoration at the Karnak and Luxor temples.

Pyramid SphinxThe Valley of the Kings

This site contains a large number of tombs of the Kings and Pharoahs, including the tombs of: Seti I, Rameses II, Horemheb and Tutankhamun, which was the only tomb to be discovered more or less intact.

The Valley of the Queens

The area contains tombs of approximately eighty Ancient Egyptian queens and tombs of their children. Here is located the beautiful tomb of Nefertari, recently opened to visitors.

The Temple of Edfu

This dates to the Ptolemaic period and is the largest and most complete of the different temples situated along the banks of the Nile. It is located in the city of Edfu. It was a center of the cult of Horus.

The Temple of Kom Ombo

The double temple dates to the Prolemaic period and its inscriptions contain references to the Ptolemies and to the Roman Emperors, Domitian, Trajan, and Caracalla.

Egypt Travel Information

Vaccinations: No compulsory vaccinations are required but hepatitis A, polio, typhoid, and tetanus are recommended.

Taking diving equipment?

Scuba equipment must be within the weight allowance allowed by the airline – usually 20kg. BCDs and bottles must be empty, properly closed and carried in the hold. Note: Some content and depth gauges and computers can be affected by low pressure. As with cameras, these should be carried as part of your hand luggage.

Climate: The diving season is year-round with visibility averaging 30m. Water temperatures range from 68º Fahrenheit in the winter months to 84ºF in summer. From May to September, the air temperature ranges between 88ºF and 106°F, and from October through to April between 70ºF and 84°F. In winter, there can often be a breeze. During winter, a 5mm two-piece suit is best and for the evenings, a light sweater or jacket is recommended.

TempThe chart (to the right) shows the low/high temps for the areas we will be visiting and the air/water average temps in Hurghada & Sharm.

Money

The basic unit of currency in Egypt is the pound, abbreviated E£. (In Arabic, the pound is called a guineh.) The pound is divided into 100 piastres, and each piastre into 10 millims. Bills are available in denominations of E£ 1, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100, and 25 and 50 piastres, while coins are available in denominations of 5, 10 and 25 piastres.

Credit cards are accepted by larger hotels, restaurants and shops—especially those which cater to tourists—but cash is still the preferred method of payment. Traveler's checks can be changed at most banks and are accepted as payment at many tourist shops, hotels, and restaurants. Don't forget to take your passport when exchanging money. There is a shortage of small change in Egypt. Be sure to ask for plenty of coins in small denominations when changing money.

Tipping

Tipping (called baksheesh in Egypt) is common practice for most services, regardless of how inconsequential. In hotels and restaurants, a service charge of about 12% is added to the bill, but an extra 5% tip is customary. Taxi fares often include a tip, but if your driver has given especially good service, tip about 10%; tips for porters and bellhops is about a pound. Many people rely on tipping to supplement their incomes, so it is important to be aware of the practice and to remember to carry small change.

Electricity

The electrical current in most areas is 220 volts , 50 Hz AC, although some rural areas still use 110–130 volts, 60 Hz AC. Plugs are the two-pin European style. Visitors from abroad who wish to operate personal small electronic items should bring a plug adapter and a transformer (these can be difficult to find in Egypt).

Detailed Itinerary

The trip has been planned to allow travelers to leave on a Thursday (October 1, 2009) and return on a Saturday (October 17, 2009). You will need 2 weeks + 2 days. You will also have the option of just doing the liveaboard diving and then leaving on October 11 for home.

Travel to Cairo, Egypt

Start Diving on Liveaboard

October 4th – 9th (Sunday – Friday) 6 days of 3-4 dives a day. No night diving in Marine Parks (Brothers, Daedalus, Rocky, Zabargad)

Land Tour of Egypt

Return home

Please note: Nile Cruise itinerary varies from ship to ship and can only be confirmed after reservation.


Payment Requirements and Administration

Cost for members with 5% discount:

Payment Schedule for both Liveaboard & Land Tour:

To ensure positive cash flow for NCRD, I propose the following payment plan for trip participants who will be doing both liveabaord & land tour::

Amount Due Date

Payment Schedule for Liveaboard ONLY + $495 land cost:

Amount Due Date

Cancellation & Refund Conditions

Trip deposits are not refunded. If participant can find a replacement, they can get their deposit back from that person. Participants should buy Trip Insurance in case they have to cancel.

What’s Included and What’s Not

Included:

NOT included:

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A California Non-Profit Mutual Benefit Corporation.
Last Updated June 25, 2009 17:50:16 pm PDT. Contact: webmaster@rainbowdivers.org