News
Scuba Travel Black Friday dive holiday deals now available
It’s Black Friday tomorrow and UK-based Tour Operator Scuba Travel has some fantastic holiday deals. All of these offers must be booked by 5pm on 27th November. For all their amazing offers please click here – check below for a select few to get you tempted!
Red Sea I Whirlwind I Daedalus and Rocky I 30 November I Save £255 – £995 inc flights
Come face to face with pelagics in the Southern Red Sea with the most experienced team onboard Whirlwind. The Daedalus and Rocky itinerary mixes up big fish encounters with plenty of macro and reef fish to interest even the most seasoned diver. You get to spend more time than ever exploring these undeniably stunning reefs, avoiding long transfers with our direct flight to Marsa Alam.
Whirlwind has everything the modern diver could want on board. The dive deck is one of the most impressive aspects – no more kitting up in a crowd on this boat! And for your relaxation between dives, there are two sundecks and a jacuzzi. Catch some rays, relax with a book or enjoy the hot tub. The saloon is kitted out with a modern entertainment system and a well stocked bar. Quite simply no element of this liveaboard has been overlooked. From sun up to sun down, Whirlwind is the perfect home away from home in the Egyptian Red Sea.
Package includes return flights to Marsa Alam 18 fully guided dives, all fees, 12 L tank & weights and FREE NITROX.
Bali I Scuba Seraya I 7 nights I 6 January I Save £300 – £1725 inc flights
Dive Tulamben and the incredible critter dives of Bali with the team from Scuba Seraya! Bali manages to deliver Indonesia’s stunning reef systems, packed with critters, at an affordable price. Many divers start with the house reef Seraya Secrets and Noisy Reefs. Drop in and the coral gardens open up. Here you can find a huge range of exotic macro life… frogfish, zebra crabs, ghost pipefish, mimic octopus to name but a few! The house reef is just the start however. Alam Anda, Batu Niti, Jemeluk, Gili Selang – there are sites a plenty. No trip is complete without a dive on the Liberty wreck. This vast cargo ship sits almost on the beach and is perfect for all experience levels.
Scuba Seraya is an intimate resort with only 12 rooms, set in lush gardens on the beach front. This really is a diver’s resort. But you do not have to forgo your creature comforts! There is a freshwater pool and beachside massage service for those chill out days. The beach is for the exclusive use of guests. The restaurant is right by the sea, and serves freshly prepared Indonesian and Western meals. The whole atmosphere at Scuba Seraya is understated elegance. Relax and forget about the world as you dive from your very own corner in paradise.
Package includes return flights, 7 nights full board, 10 morning boat dives and unlimited unguided shore diving in the afternoon.
Maldives I Virgo I Sharktastic itinerary I 7 January I Save £300 – only £1295 boat only
Sharktastic is a special itinerary packed with sharks, manta and whalesharks. Focusing on Male as well as Vaavu, Meemu and South Ari atolls, this seasonal itinerary has been designed with plenty of big fish action as you visit the Maldives’ famous channel and wall dives. Hop your way through these picture perfect atolls, diving with pelagics all the way.
Virgo sleeps only 18 divers over 30m, which has made her popular with those that prefer smaller groups on board. The main deck there is a large air conditioned saloon with welcoming sofas. Meals are served buffet style and seated at a large table. This is a fun, social boat to be on! The bar on board is fully licensed so you can enjoy your favourite tipple as the sun sinks over the horizon. The upper deck is a hub for most people in between dives, with loungers to relax on and enjoy the Maldives drifting by.
This is a boat only price but does include Male airport transfers, 7 nights full board up to 17 fully guided dives and FOC nitrox.
Red Sea I Cyclone I Winter Warmer I 21 January I Save £195 – only £850 inc flights
Join Mario on his Winter Warmer™ tour and beat those winter blues with a week of dedicated Red Sea underwater photography, focusing in particular on the varied macro and wide angle opportunities at Gubal and Tiran. This will be a great all round trip, suitable for all abilities, and Mario will be on hand morning, noon and night, dishing out any help and advice you might need. Once you’ve taken the shots you will probably want to tweak and edit them so most evenings there will be assistance with using Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Photoshop to make the most of your digital creations.
Cyclone is 32m from bow to stern and her sturdy wood hull is a stable home away from home. Cyclone features the tried and tested lay out of all Tornado Marine Fleet vessels. The all important dive deck is spaciously laid out so everyone can kit up without fighting for space. Head to the main deck dining room at meal times and an outstanding feast awaits. The upstairs saloon is complete with bar and the plasma screen is a focal point at the end of the day or during surface intervals. Or escape from it all on extensive sun deck, complete with sun beds and jacuzzi.
Included in this fantastic price are return flights to Hurghada, 7 nights full board and up to 22 fully guided dives.
Sudan I Royal Evolution I Sudan North I 22 February I Save £350 – only £1545 inc flights
Dive the very best, classic dive sites in Sudan-Sha’ab Rumi, Sanganeb and the stunning Umbria wreck. This 1 week itinerary Sudan North is guaranteed to impress! The walls are deep and plateaus an ideal stage for shark watching. Add to this the beautiful wreck dives at the unique Umbria and Con Shelf II and you are guaranteed an incredible Sudan liveaboard, packed with excitement and variety. These are classic dives and a must see for any diver in Sudan.
Royal Evolution is a sleek 39m. Between the two sun decks and enormous saloon there is always a peaceful corner for relaxing. The bar and jacuzzi form the social hub. The back dive deck has more space that you could want, with individual cubby holes for storing your gear between dives and charging batteries, as well as a large camera table with air gun in the middle of the deck. Years of hard earned experience led to the conception of Royal Evolution and she welcomes in a new era of Red Sea liveaboards in Egypt and Sudan.
Price includes return flights, 7 nights full board and expert dive guides.
Maldives I Emperor Serenity I Best of the Maldives I 6 May I Save £500 – only £1295 boat only
The Best of the Maldives does just what it says on the tin – you dive the best and most famous dive sites of the Maldives in a single week of sublime liveaboard diving across Male and Ari atolls. This is a dive holiday in the Maldives to remember that hits all the seasonal hot spots of North Male, South Male and Ari Atoll.
Emperor Serenity is a contemporary, spacious liveaboard where fine accommodation and service is standard. This sleek liveaboard features open air dining area at the stern of the main deck. Several sofas and tables await you inside the air-conditioned saloon for relaxing or watching TV. The Upper deck boasts a covered and open area ideal for watching photos and footage from your diving or just relaxing, star gazing and soaking up the wonderful Maldivian atmosphere. The sundeck is perfect for catching some sun or having a nap.
Price includes 7 nights full board including a glass of wine with dinner and up to 17 fully guided dives.
To find out more about Scuba Travel and the dive holidays they offer, call 0800 0728221, email dive@scubatravel.com or visit www.scubatravel.com.
After a two-year tour of UK art galleries, community spaces and aquariums, the Shark Trust’s acclaimed Oceanic31 exhibition takes its final bow at the Royal Geographical Society later this month. And the unique collection of artwork, depicting 31 species of oceanic sharks and rays, donated by 31 artists, is now open for bids from art lovers and shark enthusiasts. The online auction, launched today, will close on the 7th December at 8pm (BST). The money raised will support the Shark Trust Oceanics Programme.
People can now bid on 27 of the artworks by visiting this website:
https://superstars-auctions.com/sharktrustauction
It is a chance to own a beautiful piece of original art and to support the Shark Trust. The timing of the auction also means that these would make a very special Christmas gift for any shark-lover.
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- Bigeye Thresher Shark by Janina Rossiter
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- Carcharodon carcharias by Jimmy Higgs
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- Croc VR 2030 by Tom Mead
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- Oceanic Whitetip by ATM
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- Silky Street by ScapaJoe
The diversity of pieces mirrors that of the sharks and rays they represent. You can bid on paintings, digital creations, sculptures, mixed media and more. You can pick your favourite artist or species of shark. Or you can select the perfect artwork to make a statement in your home or office. Whichever you choose, you will be supporting the work to protect these amazing animals.
One of the pieces of art has been selected to be auctioned live by Steve Backshall at the For the Love of Sharks event at the Royal Geographical Society in London on the 29th November. In addition to this, two further pieces will be raffled at this event, giving people a chance to win an incredible piece of shark art. For the Love of Sharks is the Shark Trust’s flagship evening. A night to celebrate sharks. Steve Backshall is the headline speaker at this event that will see other prominent shark advocates join him on stage.
Tickets for the event can be snapped up here:
https://thesharktrust.org.uk/Event/flos24
Those that would like to see the Oceanic 31 exhibition have one final chance. It is being displayed at the Pavilion at the Royal Geographic Society from 26th November until the 7th December. Entry is free.
Find out more here:
https://www.rgs.org/events/upcoming-events/oceanic-31
Paul Cox, Shark Trust CEO, Said “This exhibition has given us the opportunity to reach out to a new audience. And inspire more people with the wonderful sharks and rays on which our Big Shark Pledge campaign is based. We are immensely grateful to the 31 artists who have worked so hard to create these works.”
Bid for your favourite Oceanic 31 artwork here:
https://superstars-auctions.com/sharktrustauction
Banner Image: Smooth Hammerhead by Alicia Hayden
Cozy and warm in cold water.
It’s drysuit season all year round. With the new RS series premium drysuits from DYNAMICNORD, divers are perfectly equipped for all cold waters.
The sophisticated cut of the RS drysuits allows complete freedom of movement, providing maximum comfort. The high-quality 350 g/m² ripstop material with double ripstop zones on the elbows, knees, and crotch protect ensures extreme robustness as well as long life.
The suit’s features leave nothing to be desired: A high-quality TiZip zipper, easily adjustable inlet and outlet valves, upgradeable with electrically heated underwear, HP bottleneck cuffs made of high-strength latex on the wrists, a 3mm neoprene neck cuff for maximum comfort, a 7mm hood with air outlet and 3mm boots made of double-sided, cross-layered neoprene with ankle straps and fin strap stoppers and a protective but very flexible sole.
Noteworthy is the Molle fastening system, which can be used in a variable and compatible manner. This way, the two detachable leg pockets can be attached easily, safely and comfortably.
Alterations of boots to a different shoe size or adjustments to neck or wrist cuffs are done free of charge at the own DYNAMICNORD service centre in Germany in only a couple of days.
The matching Dynaskins made with high-quality Polartec® technology are available in various designs. As an undersuit under the drysuit, as a single suit in warm waters or as a two-piece suit. Polartec® technology’s main features are neutral buoyancy, breathablilty and quick-drying.
Dynaskins are made largely from recycled plastic bottles.
The drysuit RS-351 for men and RS-352 for women are now available at your DYNAMICNORD dealer and in the online store.
Colors men and women: Black-Blue and Black-Burgundy
Sizes men: XS-4XL incl. intermediate sizes MS, MT, MLS, MLT, LS, LT, XLS, XLT, 2XLS, 3XLS, 4XLS
Sizes Women: XS-XL incl. intermediate sizes MS, MT, LS, XLS
DYNAMICNORD – Your Outdoor Companion.
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