Newsletter - The Return of the Mantas
In your diving newsletter
- El Gouna's new FAST BOAT special dive trips
- PADI eLearning - a great way to learn to dive online - at your own pace
- 21 ways to know who you're diving with. Meet the staff before you dive
- Join Emperor Elite to Simply the Best and turn others 'green'
- Vote for Emperor Divers as Best Dive Centre and Best Liveaboard
- Jim & Ute bid farewell to Nuweiba and head for Macau's theatrical water show
- The Return of the Mantas!
- Help stamp out illegal Red Sea fishing with CDWS 'Capture the Catcher'
- Read Emperor reviews on TripAdvisor
El Gouna's new FAST BOAT special dive trips
- Short on time?
- Holidaying with your non-diving family?
- Fancy a lie-in?
- BUT still want to dive those incredible Red Sea sites?
Enjoy a single dive from your fast boat to many of the usual day boat dive sites. Choose morning or afternoon, leaving the rest of the day to do as you please - or what the family pleases - or your partner - or...!
Just €25 + local taxes
Book in resort or find out more at reservations@emperordivers.com
PADI eLearning - a great way to learn to dive online - at your own pace
Benefits to you:
- You set the pace for learning the theory, online, at home.
- Which means you get to spend more time in the water once you decide where you want to complete the practical part 'in-water' training – anywhere in the world.
- Ideal if you're limited on time or just want to get in to the water as quickly as possible; no need for classroom work on holiday!
Of course, if it's the Red Sea that you're heading for, then book with Emperor Divers - the finest instructors in five locations.
» Click here for more information and prices
21 ways to know who you're diving with. Meet the staff before you dive
We start in Emperor Sharm with Terry Axam (pic left). Terry is a PADI Staff Instructor and has been with Emperor Divers for nine years. Get under his skin a little with this brief but enlightening insight into Terry's likes, dislikes and serious dislikes!
» Read Terry's profile here
Join Emperor Elite to 'Simply the Best' and turn others 'green'
Sail away on Elite from 14 - 21 May on the aptly named, Simply the Best route from Marsa Ghalib for just £1,044.00 (exc flights but includes just about everything else).
» Read more on Elite here and on Simply the Best here.
Vote for Emperor Divers as Best Dive Centre and Best Liveaboard
Vote for Emperor Divers in the Sport Diver Awards 2010! Just follow the links below and put the location and which dive centre or liveaboard you want to vote for.
» Vote for Emperor Dive Centre here
» Vote for Emperor Liveaboard here
Jim & Ute bid farewell to Nuweiba and head for Macau's theatrical water show
Over to you Jim...
I have accepted a new job in Macau, China, as a technical support diver for a new water based theatrical, acrobatic show; only the third of its kind in the world. Check out the website for an idea of the type of entertainment, but think of the Cirque du Soleil with added water!
Ute is of course coming to China with me, so we would both like to take this opportunity to say thank you to all the people we have met along the way during our time in Egypt. We will never forget the times we had working in Dahab, with the Emperor liveaboards and finally in peaceful Nuweiba. We dived with some really great people and met some interesting characters; together with unforgettable encounters with sharks, dolphins, turtles, dugongs and frogfish!
So long and thanks for all the fish!"
The Return of the Mantas!
Report by Laura Kennedy-Smith, Dive Instructor, Emperor Sharm
Manta rays, easily distinguished by their large mandibles, are the biggest winged creatures that inhabit the oceans. The largest known specimen measured more than 7.6 metres across with a weight of about 2,300 kilos. But here in Sharm a smaller, yet still impressive 3-4 metres is more common. Mantas feed mainly on plankton filtered from the water passing through their gills as they swim. Incidentally their top speed is only 7 miles per hour and for those of you that have had the chance to dive with them before, you'll know it seems like they are going much faster.
Scuba diving with a manta ray is an amazing experience, often ended with a cheer of delight from the dive group upon reaching the surface. They are quite curious animals and they are often known to approach scuba divers, either enjoying the interaction and playing with our bubbles or simply wanting to see what is happening. These magnificent creatures are also frequently seen feeding near or at the surface so those snorkelling also might be lucky enough to catch a glimpse.
When diving with manta rays it is very important to remember that they are wild animals and should be observed only. The less action a scuba diver takes to scare a manta ray, such as chasing it to get a better look or to get that perfect picture, the more likely it is that the manta ray will hang around giving an unforgettable experience. Happy manta ray spotting this summer in Sharm!
Help stamp out illegal Red Sea fishing with CDWS 'Capture the Catcher'
» More information from CDWS here and how you can help
Read Emperor Reviews on TripAdvisor
