Recently in Sharm El Sheikh Category

Gareth and Anders have a lot to smile about as they earn their PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor qualifications this week. Not only can they teach the core PADI courses, but having completed their Master Scuba Diver Trainer and Emergency First Response Instructor programs, they can also teach five PADI specialty courses and First Aid. Their two-day exam, conducted by PADI examiners who were flown in especially, was the culmination of a nine-day intensive but enjoyable learning experience.

Emperor Divers' April PADI IDC got off to a relaxed start on the beach at Shark's Bay in Sharm El Sheikh. Gareth booked in for a two-day prep course with PADI Course Director, Steve Prior, to ensure that his in-water skills and diving knowledge were up to scratch. Gareth advised, "You only do a PADI IDC once in your life, so you want to do it right and you want to have fun."

Highlights from the Red Sea Bash 2007 in Hurghada, Marsa Alam and Sharm El Sheikh

 

Its popularity grows each year so, back by divers' demand, it's your chance to join in the annual Emperor Red Sea Bash.

Book today for Hurghada, Sharm or Marsa Alam and get set to enjoy some great diving and fun events throughout June and July.

Win lots of prizes including:

• 1 x 5-day dive pack per centre each week (at a dive centre of your choice)
• 2 x 3-day dive packs per centre each week (at a dive centre of your choice)
• FREE Nitrox
• FREE dives
• FREE beer
• FREE BBQ
• FREE Emperor T-shirts (for those must-have fashionistas) for everyone who checks in!
• Dive accessories
• Special reduced-rate trips
• Quiz nights
• UK dive magazine subscriptions
• And last but by no means least - Impressive Prizes for the incredibly popular Underwater Treasure Hunt

Duncan McAllister, Sharm dive centre manager, explains all...

"Many guests have visited us here in Sharm and know and love Empress Shorouk and her skipper, Nasser. We talk the talk about what we do when a boat goes in to dry dock so we thought we would show you the lengths we go to make our day boats the best in Sharm. After 14 months it was time to really give Shorouk a well-deserved makeover and so we have completely stripped her down. She will have a new hull, new larger bathrooms with flush toilets, a completely new kitchen, a complete paint job and an overhauled engine. This month's picture story shows you the bare essentials and next month get ready for the big reveal!"

stripped down

extended bathroom

stern & hull replacement

Marsa Alam, Nuweiba, Safaga, Sharm El Sheikh (Shark's Bay) are now BSAC Dive Training Centres.

Thirteen instructors from a selection of Emperor's dive centres descended on Sharm to carry out our crossover training to become BSAC Open Water Instructors. The aim of this conversion was for Emperor to become the main BSAC flagship company providing BSAC courses and catering to their members' needs in the Red Sea, and what a success it was.

Emperor Divers has invited a Platinum-rated Course Director to run their Instructor Development Courses at their Sharm El Sheikh dive centre in the Red Sea.

Steve Prior has been a PADI member for over 15 years and for the past seven has been teaching Instructor Development Courses. Steve has now reached the remarkable milestone of over 1700 instructor level certifications.

This is your opportunity to dive one of the Red Sea's must-see WWII wrecks, SS Thistlegorm, on our newly scheduled overnight trip.

The dive sites:

Shark & Yolanda Reef: - The most famous dive site in Sharm and one of the top ten dive sites of the world. Strong currents can make this an exhilarating drift dive along sheer walls leading to beautiful coral gardens and the wreck of Yolanda. The possibility of Black Tipped Reef Sharks swimming with spiralling Barracuda and shoals of Snapper, Batfish and Unicorn fish are not uncommon. Not to mention the Turtles, Rays, Napoleon fish and numerous Moray Eels.

Make it a family day out!

Do one guided beach dive for your orientation and then on the following days you can enjoy unlimited, unguided dives with your friends and family.

40 Euros per diver per day
Non-divers, friends and family are welcome to join you at the beach for an entry fee of just 20le.

Note: No solo diving allowed. All divers must have a buddy.

Starting from 1 April, budget airline EasyJet is now offering a route to Sharm El Sheikh from London Gatwick. They are also offering flights to Hurghada until April.

Baggage allowance is 20kg with an extra allowance of 12kg for diving equipment for £30 return. EasyJet charges £7.98 per item checked in the hold per flight.

Flights will run every day of the week except Fridays and Sundays. They will also take group bookings on line for up to 40 people.

Check out their website for prices and details: www.easyjet.co.uk

Emperor Fleet are introducing three new itineraries next year for its Platinum liveaboard,Tranquillity, departing from Sharm El Sheikh.