Egypt Itineraries:

Project Shark: Daedalus & St Johns

The aim of 'Project Shark' is to highlight the global issues facing sharks, with a Red Sea focus, as well as enjoying some of the most spectacular reefs that the Red Sea has to offer.

QUALIFICATION NEEDED: You must be a PADI Open Water diver or equivalent and have logged a minimum of 30 dives to join this safari.

ROUTE: Daedalus & St Johns

Please note that night diving and snorkelling will only be allowed on some parts of this itinerary as it includes marine parks where this is prohibited.

During this week, divers will experience pristine diving, as well as becoming involved in a fundamental study of one of the world's most unique marine habitats - the Red Sea. The week will involve close encounters with sharks, manta rays and whale harks (although these sightings cannot be guaranteed!) with the possibility to observe them in their natural habitat and donate vital information to the study.

Founded by our expert dive guide and marine biologist, Elke Bojanowski Ph.D, in her quest to track and collect basic population data on oceanic whitetip sharks (Carcharhinus Longimanus), in the Egyptian Red Sea.

Elke began the Longimanus Project in October 2004 and since this date she has been actively collecting underwater photographs and video-clips of the Oceanic Whitetip for catalogue, review and analysis. Joining the blue o two team in 2007, Elke unifies blue o two's unique panel of expert dive guides; all offering our divers exceptional skills in scuba diving, marine studies and underwater audio-visual production.

The week will offer the opportunity to:

- Learn about the biology and behaviour of sharks within the Red Sea
- Learn and develop skills in marine biological studies; collecting data, species identification and analysing data
- Learn about globally endangered marine species and what we can do as divers to ensure their protection
- Enjoy fantastic diving on some of the most unique Red Sea reefs
- Experience potential close encounters with sharks, manta rays and whale sharks*

Expertly run:

Project shark is delivered by our team of expert dive guides, who will conduct seminars giving divers the opportunity to gain a better understanding of the biology and behaviour of sharks within the Red Sea. There will also be a chance to learn about globally endangered marine species and what as a diver we can do to aid their protection.

Why join this itinerary?

Encounters with endangered species allows divers to add a greater purpose to their Red Sea holiday, so anyone who has an active interest in the preservation of the marine environment and its inhabitants would enjoy this itinerary. However, important to bear in mind is that as well as learning from experts about marine bio-studies within the Red Sea, divers will enjoy daily diving on very special reefs; Brother Islands and Elphinstone Reefs, as well as Daedalus Reef, St. Johns, Zabagrad and Rocky Islands on allocated weeks, making this an equally enjoyable week for those just wanting to enjoy the diving.

Sample itinerary:

**PLEASE NOTE** the itinerary below is just an example of the route taken and the order and dive sites are not guaranteed. All dives sites are subject to weather conditions and the final route taken is at the absolute discretion of the captain and dive guides.

Day 1 - Shouna, Abu Dabab, Shaab Sharm

Day 2 -St. John's Reef

Day 3 - St. John's Reefs (Gota Kebir, Gota Soraya, Habili Ali, Habili Jaffa, Umm Aruk & Dangerous), St Johns Reef, St' John's Caves, Sataya

Day 4 - Fury Shoal (Shaab Claudio, Abu Galawa Soraya, Shaab Maksour, Malahi, Abu Galawa Kebir)

Day 5 -Daedalus

Day 6 - Elphinstone, Marsa Mubarak

Itinerary highlights:

Daedalus: This huge reef rises from the sea bed in the middle of the Red Sea. Easily recognized by its zebra-striped lighthouse, this massive reef offers some of the most amazing dives in the Red Sea. The sheer walls are covered in over-grown hard coral formations and a variety of reef fish. Napoleon wrasses and turtles are often cruising by, but make sure you keep your eyes open on the blue! Daedalus is one of those places where anything can happen... oceanic white tip reef sharks, grey reef sharks, a lonesome hammerhead shark or schools of them. The excitement and the sheer size of this reef means that you can do several dives and not get bored!

Elphinstone Reef: A Red Sea legend. Elphinstone is a beautiful long reef with its walls, north and south covered in hard and soft corals. It offers colourful scenery and a very good variety of reef fish... the occasional visiting pelagic can make this dive site very interesting.

Fury Shoal: This large cluster of reefs offers unforgettable and easy dives. From the northern site of Small Abu Galawa to its most-southern site of Sataya, Fury Shoal can prove to be surprising and diverse. Each dive site has its particularity: from dolphins, to stunning hard coral formations and not forgetting the two little wrecks, "Tug Boat" and the "Yacht". Often overlooked, its beauty and easy diving will be welcomed after currents and wall diving!

St. John's Reef: Located on the Tropic of Cancer, this chain of reefs is the furthest South you will get! All its dive sites are very close to each other which means that you can easily move from one place to another. It therefore adds a lot of variety to your dives: drop-offs, tunnels and stunning hard-coral formations. One of these dives (St John's Caves or Umm Kharalim) is truly unique and is a photographers heaven with rays of light filtering through into the beautiful tunnels. The reef formation is not the only thing that will stun you at St John's... the marine life and the colours of the soft corals are one of the best in the Red Sea. With any luck, dolphins or pelagics will join you on the dives and St John's will forever have a place in your heart.

Want to go? Check out the Schedules and Prices HERE

Thanks to (Dray Van Beeck) for providing the featured underwater images.