GET WRECKED IN THE RED SEA!
GET WRECKED IN THE RED SEA! Join us from Saturday, 3rd to Saturday, 10th November 2012 aboard the 108 ft luxury dive boat Whirlwind, voted ‘Liveaboard of the Year’ 2009 for an unforgettable guided tour of the iconic wrecks of Egypt’s Northern Red Sea. From the mighty Thistlegorm, Rosalie Moller, Giannis D, Kingston and Carnatic - all teeming with prolific marine life, to the pulsating splendor of the coral reefs that took many of these ships to the bottom - this underwater adventure has it all. The 'Get Wrecked' itinerary hits all the key spots in the North, and then some. It is the best way to visit the full volume of 19th and 20th century wrecks. This is a recreational wreck diving trip for 20 divers with Open Water Advanced certification and above. You will receive a full briefing about the trip once everyone has arrived on board.
About the boat, Whirlwind takes pride of place at the front of the award winning Tornado Marine Fleet. She is the result of many years working with divers and it shows. The approach is professional and the quality is unsurpassed. Launched in May 2006, Whirlwind certainly knows how to make a great first impression. The signature design with split level dining room and saloon optimises the already generous space on board this 36m vessel. Light and airy, all 10 cabins have twin beds, en-suite bathrooms, air conditioning and a safe box. The saloon area is ample with welcoming sofas, tables, plasma screen, DVD, a multi channel sound system, juice and hot drink station and of course, a bar. The expansive upper sundeck runs almost the entire length of the boat whilst the lower sundeck is the perfect spot to sit back and relax. Whirlwind is fully enabled for rebreather diving.
This package costs £1,145, it includes return flights from Gatwick to Sharm el Sheikh, airport transfers, breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, soft drinks (Coke, Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite, water), hot beverages (tea, coffee and hot chocolate), shared accommodation in twin berth cabins, five and a half days diving with up to four dives a day including night dives, use of a 12L cylinder, air-fills and weights. Flying from Gatwick not convenient for you? You can arrange your own flights to and from Sharm el Sheikh (including airport transfers to and from Whirlwind, approx. 20 minutes by taxi), boat only package cost is £895. On Saturday, 10th November we will be transferred to an hotel in Sharm el Sheikh where you will have use of the pool and a buffet lunch before your return flight home.
The following supplements apply to cylinder upgrades and Nitrox fills:
15ltr cylinder hire - £40 for the week, air fills are included.
12ltr & 15ltr Nitrox fills - £80 for the week.
Manifold (11.1 litre cylinders) twin-set hire - £85 for the week, air fills are included.
Twin-set Nitrox based on 32% fills - £130 for the week.
Extra 12ltr stage cylinder hire - £38 for the week.
10ltr single - £35 for the week.
10 ltr pair - £50 for the week.
7ltr stage cylinder hire - £35 for the week.
7ltr - pair - £50 for the week.
3ltr Pony & Reg - £40 for the week.
For rebreathers:
Inspiration & Evolution 2ltr & 3ltr cylinders - £50 for the week.
Oxygen (per litre) - £0.02
Helium (per litre)- £0.05
Sofnolime Inspiration (per fill) - £30
Sofolime Evoultion (per fill) - £24
Example prices for other gasses:
Nitrox max 40% (per fill) - £8
Nitrox max 40% (twins per fill) - £16
Nitrox max 40% (6 day package) - £90
Nitrox max 40% (6 day twin package) - £150
Nitrox max 40% (3 day package) - £45
Oxygen (per litre) - £0.02
Helium (per litre)- £0.05
Whirlwind equipment hire costs:
BCD - £50
Reg - £50
BCD & Reg - £85
Full set (bcd, reg, westsuit, fins, mask, computer) - £180
Reg & Comp - £80
Computer - £45
WetSuit - £45
Mask & Snorkel - £15
Boots & Fins - £25
Torch - £25
Equipment can also be hired from Dive Wimbledon at a reduced rate.
Bar Price List, I don't have a full price list, but to give you an idea it's currently €3 for a beer and €15 for a bottle of wine, this is subject to change and I'll confirm all bar prices nearer the time.
Additional costs, getting to and from Gatwick airport, parking at the airport, if you choose to drive yourself. Spending money at Gatwick & Sharm el Sheikh airports. Egyptian entry visa, you have to purchase on arrival at Sharm Airport, this costs £15. Beers and other alcoholic drinks consumed aboard Whirlwind. Branded merchandise you buy onboard and other gifts you purchase in Sharm el Sheikh. Overseas dive and equipement insurance. Hiring dive gear. Tipping the Whirlwind crew is at your discretion, according to the tour operator £30 is about right.
Diver certification, dive kit and previous experience. All diving will be planned within recreational limits down to 40 metres, and subject to prevailing weather and sea conditions each day. Minimum diver qualification is PADI Advanced Open Water or equivalent, the ability to deploy a DSMB is essential, some recent boat diving experience would be useful. Having further PADI certifications in Enriched Air Diving, Deep Diving and Wreck Diving or equivalents, will help you to get the most out of this trip. Full scuba diving kit, including an appropriate exposure suit, DSMB, reel and a good torch, having a back up mask, DSMB and torch is a good idea. If you plan to use a single cylinder, carrying a redundant air supply such as a Pony cylinder is highly recommended. Dive gear is available for hire on the boat, subject to prior arrangement (contact the trip organiser). Divers must be over 21 years of age and logged 30 dives. When we board the boat, we will be asked to provide evidence of our diving experience, so remember to bring your logbook and certification cards with you.
Airline baggage allowances, the tour operator hasen't confirmed the carrier we'll be travelling with yet but the hold luggage allowance is 25kg and the cabin hand luggage is 5kg. Excess baggage allowance and flight times (likely to be departing 9am from Gatwick and returning back to Gatwick around 9pm the following Friday), more details to follow once confirmed.
To book a place on this trip, a £300 deposit is required, the balance of £845 is payable 13 weeks (90 days) before the trip, that's Friday, 10 August 2012. If you arrange your own flights and transfers, the balance is £595.
Information I'll need to know if you want to come on this trip: When you pay your deposit, I only need your full name, exactly as it appears in your passport. Three weeks (21 days) before the trip date: 1. Your pasport number. 2. Passport Start Date & Expiry Date. 3. Passport country of issue. 4. Your country of citizenship. 5. What country you live in. 6. Number of dives you have completed. 7. Your dive certifications. 8. A copy of your travel insurance policy, including the policy number and contact details of your insurance company (please ensure your travel insurance policy contains adequate scuba diving cover). 9. Contact details of your next of kin.