Sea Friend · Egypt · 8 Days / 7 Nights
This itinerary explores the remote southern Red Sea, focusing on the St. John's reefs and Fury Shoals. It is designed for divers seeking an escape from crowded sites, offering clear waters and a diverse underwater landscape of walls, pinnacles, and coral gardens. The route provides excellent opportunities for encountering large pelagic species such as oceanic whitetip sharks, hammerheads, and manta rays, in addition to rich reef ecosystems. Max guests on this trip: 20.
Marsa Alam
Guests will board the vessel and check in at Marsa Alam in the late afternoon. The first day is dedicated to settling in, with no diving activities scheduled.
Today begins with two check dives, typically at easily accessible sites like Shaab El Erg or Gota Abu Ramada. These dives offer a relaxed start, often showcasing healthy reef systems with an abundance of colorful fish, occasional turtles, and stingrays over sandy patches. Divers practice buoyancy control and get reacquainted with their gear during these shallow reef or drift dives.
St. Johns
Today explores the renowned St. John's reef system, with dives at sites like Habili Ali and Gorgonia Reef. Divers can expect thrilling drift dives along vibrant walls and pinnacles, home to schooling barracuda, trevally, and occasionally oceanic whitetip sharks. The sheltered bays also provide opportunities for night diving, revealing active reef sharks and parrotfish.
St. Johns
Today at St. John's, divers explore sites like Habili Ali and Gorgonia Reef, known for vibrant coral formations and abundant reef fish. Expect drift dives along impressive walls and around coral pinnacles, offering chances to spot grey reef sharks, barracuda, and schools of snapper. The diverse hard and soft corals create a stunning backdrop for macro life and occasional larger pelagics in the deeper currents.
St. Johns
Day 5 brings further exploration of the St. Johns reef system, with dives at sites like Habili Ali and Gorgonia Reef. Drifting along vibrant wall dives and intricate reef formations, divers can expect encounters with schooling reef fish, snapper, and occasional grey reef sharks or barracuda. The pristine hard and soft coral gardens here are truly exceptional, creating a diverse underwater landscape. Night dives are often conducted on a sheltered section of the reef.
Fury Shoals
Today explores the pristine reefs of Fury Shoals, with dives at sites like Abu Galawa Soraya and Shaab Claude. Divers will experience vibrant wall and pinnacle dives, drifting among healthy hard coral gardens. Expect to encounter reef sharks, schools of snapper, fusiliers, and possibly turtles or eagle rays, with the chance for night diving on these rich coral ecosystems.
Marsa Alam
On the final day, the itinerary typically returns to the renowned Elphinstone Reef for two dives. Here, divers can experience thrilling drift dives along its dramatic walls and plateaus. Keep an eye out for oceanic whitetips and hammerhead sharks patrolling the drop-offs, alongside abundant reef fish, groupers, and occasional manta rays. This iconic site offers a memorable conclusion to the diving adventure.
Dive sites: Elphinstone
Hamata
This morning typically includes a final dive or two near Hamata, focusing on the accessible, shallow reefs before disembarking. Sites like Shaab Hamam or Abu Galawa could offer gentle drift or reef dives, showcasing vibrant coral gardens, resident reef fish, and possibly small rays or turtles. The emphasis is on enjoyable, shallower dives to allow for a safe surface interval before travel. After breakfast, guests disembark in Hamata, concluding their Red Sea liveaboard adventure.
No departures scheduled for this route right now.