The mask was clear. Weights just right and with an intake of air DJ was able to rise, exhale and we descend! The nearest thing to flying under water! The reef lay in front, the rest of the group above; Terry signals up and DJ realises he is over 30 metres deep! Wrasse, Parrotfish and Surgeonfish cruise the reef, whilst the photo enthusiasts take shots of the Emperorfish, Bannerfish and Sweetlips hanging around the pinnacles. Dive 64 is really turning out to be one of the best. Keeping well out of the range of the Trigger Fish DJ follows the others now at a sensible depth (for him) around the reef into the current! 42 minutes and yet another dive with the normal safety stop, into the Rib and back to Superior.

"Back in 2003, as a PADI Course Director and owner of New Zealand Sea Adventures, Kaikoura, south of Christchurch and a PADI Gold Palm Instructor Development Centre, I had reservations about accepting children of this age onto an entry level course. That was until Amy and her dad walked in the door and asked to learn to dive. I accepted Amy and her dad onto the PADI Junior/Open Water Diver course but only after outlining the restrictions on a 10/11-year-old with a Junior Open Water qualification and the challenges that Amy would have to meet during and after training. Where Amy lacked in physical stature (eight-year-old size wetsuit) she made up in mental stamina and sheer determination."

"India Charlie you are cleared to land two eight." DJ (that's me) was returning from a 'fly-in' in Alderney and had been faced with poor visibility throughout the Cessna flight. It was good to see Runway 28 at Leicester clear and whilst parking up an excited assistant approached and asked, "Do you Scuba dive too as we've received a call from Melton Divers that you are booked to go to Big and Little Brothers. We really didn't know what they meant!" After a brief explanation, they understood that they are islands in the Red Sea and generally the focal point of a week's Liveaboard Safari.

It had been over four years since I had dived open-water...four long and very painful years!

Even though I have been a qualified diver for over 15 years now and a PADI Instructor since 1998, plus a former Emperor Divers' Instructor and dive-guide, I was terribly afflicted by fire as a result of a light-aircraft accident in 2007 - the type of accident that people refer to as 'life-changing!'

19th August 2007 was a day that I shall never forget. I was solo-piloting a light-aircraft in Florida, USA. I sustained an engine fire during flight, whilst on approach to land, leaving me with very little time to react. I followed an emergency procedure - according to protocol - for an in-flight fire, however the flames breached the fire-wall, which should ordinarily protect me from such an incident. Instead, flames quickly began to engulf the cock-pit, working its way up my lower-limbs towards my upper-body and face. I was forced to act fast or meet my demise.

For a few years the daily dive boats from El Gouna and Hurghada have not been allowed to visit the 130m long British armed Merchant Navy ship SS Thistlegorm so the only way to dive this wreck from this side of the Red Sea is to book a liveaboard trip.

Occasionally we hear of day trips using safari licenses and on Saturday, whilst disappointed that a planned day trip had been cancelled, I was told by Mat Cotton at Emperor Divers in El Gouna of an overnight trip departing on Sunday. It sounded perfect so I took my kit over to Emperor at the Moevenpick Hotel and booked myself on. My fellow club members interested in the Thistlegorm had already rebooked a dive to the Rosalie Moller, which is a regular trip for us, so it was just going to be me departing on Sunday from our club.

On Sunday morning I was picked up and driven over to Abydos Marina, where most of the dive boats depart in El Gouna, and boarded the boat 'Sea Dream'. Whilst I was not expecting the usual luxurious Emperor safari boats just for an overnighter I was pleased to find out that myself and the other divers had ensuite cabins. Once the formalities of passport copies was sorted we were on our way around 9.30am. So just six divers in total, the crew and two guides.

It took around three hours to cross the bumpy Straits of Gobal to reach the mooring for the Thistlegorm off the Sinai Coast. When we arrived there was just one other boat moored there with another approaching from the distance. My buddies were Joel aged 15, a PADI AOW with 22 logged dives and his father Ned, both divers at home in Northern Ireland. They were on holiday in Makadi Bay and the non-diving wife had remained at the hotel to relax. Our guide was Mohamed and there were also three Russians diving with the other guide Tarek.

The first dive I was escorted down by two large bat fish probably hoping to find something good to eat in my mass of floating hair. We landed over the bomb damaged section where the ship was hit from the air by the squadron of Heinkels searching for a large troop ship. The two 450kg bombs struck her mid section detonating much ammunition and killing four crew members and nine sailors. With the Egyptian night sky lit up by the blazing ship she sank immediately on 6th October 1940. Hold 4 had been full of armoured vehicles, aerial bombs, cases of anti tank mines, ammunition, hand grenades. I remember when I last dived the wreck a few years ago seeing all the long black rubber Wellington boots which the troops would have used to cross the muddy terrain. All I saw now were the thick soles with the rubber eroded away. We dropped down to the seabed and the steeply listing stern to view the armed freighter's heavy fixed position machine gun and a 120mm anti-aircraft gun silhouetted against the surface. Rounding the stern to the massive propeller and then following the steep sides of the ship along to the bow we were joined by an enormous Napoleon Wrasse. We finished the 41 minute dive on the deck by the crumpled railway wagons with a large turtle resting nearby that we often spotted on the surface later as it came up regularly for air.

After lunch we began the second dive dropping down into hold no.2. This was also my 600th dive! The hold is full of rusting Bedford trucks and rows of BSA and Norton motor bikes. We swam through a hole into hold no. 1 full which was loaded with Lee Enfield Rifles, spare parts, camp beds, tires, more rubber boots, Morris cars and BSA bikes. We only saw our six divers and two guides on both dives unlike before when the holds have been full of divers torch beams and camera flashes. Sorry no underwater photos as no-one on our trip took a camera.

Our surface interval back on deck was spent watching the sunset and preparing for the night dive. Six dive boats were now moored up for the night around us.

This was my first night dive on the Thistlegorm and the plan was to explore the holds again. I was a little apprehensive thinking we wouldn't be able to see the light of the exits out of the holds in the dark but the bright lights of the dive boats on the surface shed a dull glow over the decks. We saw a huge scorpion fish and giant moray and lots of lion fish hunting in the torch light. Really enjoyed the night dive in the eery darkness. 20 meters max depth and 45 minutes dive time and back onboard for dinner.

Moored next to us overnight was a very nice liveaboard full of Italians called Desmondo. After dinner most of us retired to bed around 11pm as we would be briefed at 6am for the next dive. I went down to my cabin and discovered the windows had leaked during the rough crossing and my bed was rather damp at one end! Never mind and very nearly drifting off to sleep but the horrendous roar of the generator from Desmondo kept interrupting my approaching dreams. The boats bright lights were also filtering through my porthole windows and together with the heat of the still, windless night and with our generator switched off and therefore air conditioning and lights not working I decided around 1.30am that I would have to move and find somewhere cooler, quieter and less bright.

I went up to the sun deck but all the benches on the side away from Desmondo were occupied by the other five divers. The upper sun deck was completely soaking wet with condensation due to the high temperature and no wind. I went into the dark lounge and lay on the first seat not wishing to disturb the gentle snoring I could hear further in. Thought I would be fine here until Desmondo drifted round a little closer so now their strong deck lights were bobbing up and down like search lights right onto my face.

It was now around 2.30am and I was tempted to dive down to get some ammunition to sink Desmondo but decided instead to grab a small plastic mattress from a bench and took it down to the also soaking wet dive platform next to the rhib. Perfect as long as I stayed on my small plastic island and didn't let the blanket slip. I lay back and searched for shooting stars just a few feet from the water and then realised just how noisy the sea is at night. The fish were constantly jumping out of the water and splash landing. At least it was more pleasant than the relentless roar of the generator which was inescapable. It was beautifully cool outside and very humid so it wasn't long before my blanket and pillow were damp. Still wide awake at 4.20am it was worth a restless night to see the sky slowly turning pink and the red sun rising from behind the mountains just after 5am. The divers on Des had probably slept very well as they were all kitted up and jumping in the water at 5.40am.

Just two of our group kitted up at 6am for our fourth dive on the Thistlegorm and dropped down to the sea bed at 30 meters and swam about 20m away to one of the locomotives that was blown off the wreck during the forceful explosion. It was nice to have the time to explore the sea bed a little before moving round the outside of the ship and then up to visit the Captain's bathroom. I always think of my father when diving this wreck as the supplies were heading for the British 8th army in North Africa where he was an Officer.

After breakfast we crossed back over to Abu Nuhas to dive the wreck of the Ghiannis D and explored inside the engine room. The Ghiannis D is such a pretty and photographic wreck covered in colourful corals and beautifully lit in the morning sunshine and a regular excursion for our club from El Gouna. The sixth and final dive was at El Gilwa around 11am where we were joined by Emperor's day boat from El Gouna keen to hear the news of our expedition.

We were back early afternoon to a stifling 40 degrees on land but everyone had thoroughly enjoyed themselves. I have to say a big thank you to Emperor Divers and especially to Mat for letting me know about the trip and for the excellent service received from their staff, boat crew and guides.

I really enjoyed just doing a one night trip and will definitely organise another trip after Ramadan for our other dive club members and, of course, me to enjoy again.

If you would like to know more about this overnight trip, please email info.reservations@emperordivers.com

30/7/07     Dive 33     SS THISTLEGORM (2)

Oh yes! Derek (DJ) was full of confidence now; after all he had dived Thistlegorm. Donna brought him back to earth on her check. "You intend to dive without turning on your air then?" A crestfallen DJ then followed her into the blue. The dive decks hustle and bustle, in one goes and, apart from the air, no sound but uncanny peace, superb. Down the now familiar rope to the deck with visibility a lot better. marine life abounded with every type of fish who, in the main, took no notice of divers. Skirting the anti aircraft gun, which at the time was not fired for the crew thinking the low flying aircraft were British, to the Bren gun carrier and one of the steam engines. The rope room was pointed out whilst the rest of the group concentrated on the coal and water tenders.

30/7/07     Dive 32     SS THISTLEGORM

King Snefro rocked gently in the swell as a very nervy Derek sat waiting his turn reflecting on the last time he was in this same position - suited up and feeling very sick as the boat rocked violently in the heavy swell the year previously with only some 14 dives to his "credit" he wondered then if he could ever join the professionals to dive Thistlegorm. He recalled the depth of despair then when Donna said, "Really Derek it's so rough and now you're not well to say the least, we can't risk it." Now with a few more dives and a lot of study he felt more confident. The brief was over the experts had asked all the questions, all had chosen their buddies and the brief ended with the welcome words, "Derek you're with me." Terry and Janice were going to film.

Foreword from Derek (pic below on the lighthouse at Big Brother):

"The year is 1986 and following the launch of our Vauxhall Dealership I find myself aboard Wind Spirit on a promotional trip. Introduced to diving; attempt to satisfy the disciplines; fail dismally; successful entrants enjoy a dive to the depths while I look on.

A few years later, having dismissed diving as not for me and getting qualified as a light aircraft pilot instead, I am persuaded by my Service Manager and dear friend, Mick Knight (now in Australia), to join Melton Divers. I meet Janice Humm who amazingly within thirty minutes has me 'swimming underwater'.

Now I am enthusiastic and after more pool practice join her for my first dive at Stoney Cove. The date is 7 May 2005. Over the next six years I enjoy the friendly help one gets from divers from all walks of life: Melton Divers, Emperor Divers, with a special word of absolute thanks to Donna Bowen, a young lady who took this old guy to the depths on many occasions with skill and disipline that would be difficult to improve upon.

Over the next few months I will endeavour to recount in real time the memories of those years, impossible without the dedication of the Emperor Divers staff. I will take my detailed log as the basic guide but you must excuse me if I have mistaken names, although looking back it appears that Donna and Janice with Terry had insisted on detail! I will refer to my self as DJ for simplicity."

So watch this space; next episode: Thistlegorm, Dive 32/33, the date 30 July 2007.

Emperor Divers [Sharm] was extremely professional.  By far the best dive organization USMA SCUBA has ever worked with and you can quote me on that if you'd like.  I greatly appreciate all your company's help, professionalism, and patience to make our week in Egypt the best it could be.

Respectfully,
CDT Eric Bernau

Note from ED -
West Point is a NAUI Platinum Dive Center which is an elite status as a NAUI Organization.
In addition to training team members to become SCUBA instructors, the USMA Scuba Team also certifies members of the United States Corps of Cadets, as well as other military personnel and their families in NAUI SCUBA diving.
www.usma.edu/uscc/dca/clubs/scub/home.html

Topping the bill on two successful 'Early Bird' trips to Tiran were sightings of hammerheads on the back of Jackson, oceanic white tips also in Tiran and huge schools of snapper, batfish, unicornfish and giant trevallies still hanging out in Ras Mohammed.

Add to that the manta and mobula ray at Near Garden and that has to equate to Red Carpet celeb status for the Red Sea.

Best book,get out there now and join the show!