February Holiday Deals to Sharm

After Booking your holiday don't forget to book your diving before you travel on http://www.elite-diving.com/ for the best deals around.

Falcon Inn Viva 4* Hotel
GATWICK
23rd February – 7 Nights
£270 Bed and Breakfast
Creative Mexicana 3* Hotel
GATWICK
23rd February – 7 Nights
£243 Bed and Breakfast
Amar Sinai 3* Hotel
BRISTOL
4th March 2010 – 7 Nights
£261 Bed and Breakfast
Creative Mexicana 3* Hotel
GATWICK
9th March – 7 Nights
£251 Bed and Breakfast
Creative Badawia 3*Hotel
GATWICK
9th March – 7 Nights
£255 Bed and Breakfast
Domina Coral Bay 5* Hotel
GATWICK
9th March – 7 Nights
£331 Bed and Breakfast
Luna Sharm 3* Hotel
EAST MIDLANDS
24th March – 7 Nights
£284 Bed and Breakfast
Coral Hills 4* Hotel
EAST MIDLANDS
24th March – 7 Nights
£285 Bed and Breakfast
Amar Sinai 3* Hotel
MANCHESTER
11th April – 7 Nights
£371 Bed and Breakfast
Cleopatra Tskoks 3* Hotel
EAST MIDLANDS
28th April – 7 Nights
£242 Bed and Breakfast

For details on holidays and diving e.mail: info@elite-diving.com

Tropical storm and floods in Sharm El Sheikh Red Sea Egypt

Fork Lightening hits Sharm


Multiple Strikes

Wading through the aftermath in Old Market

Water Taxi?

With the foundations washed away the steps down to Ras Katy area collapse.

It was on Sunday evening 17 January 2010 a tropical storm hit Sharm El Shiekh. There was thunder and lightening which lasted for several hours and with it very heavy rainfall that caused destructive flooding.

The storm and the rain took out much of Sharm's power and phone lines.

As this amount of rain fall is very unusual, it disabled Sharm just like a heavy snow fall disables the UK.

This photo was taken two days after the storm and shows some of the aftermath. There are reports of differing degrees of damage and hardship in the Sharm area.

With no drains in the gutters, flood water is still held in parts making passing very difficult.

A taxi passes very carefully at the shallow end!

The authorities cancelled all diving activities on Monday as there were still high winds forecast.

I remember heavy rain in October 2002. Perhaps the thunder and lightning wasn't so dramatic but the flooding then was very bad in places but things got back to normal very quickly.

Since the phone lines are back on we have had reports that the new road to Dahab has been washed away.

A big clean up is underway and its now business as usual in Sharm.

There will be further reports on how the reefs have been affected by the run off.

Look on Red Sea News http://www.elite-diving.com/

Ex Explorers and Ocean College staff set up their own dive center.

Alun and Moyra, a couple who previously worked for Explorers and Ocean College when the both companies were at the height of their popularity, have formed their own dive center in Sharm El Sheikh, Red Sea, and have kept the traditional family atmosphere that they helped to create while working for Explorers and Ocean College. Their set up has a very warm and friendly club like feeling and they employ staff to help their divers find some of the best holiday deals available on the Internet and through ATOL and ABTA bonded travel agents


Moyra (left) pictured with her Explorers colleagues.




Alun seen far right pictured giving one of his famous briefings while working for Ocean College.

Alun and Moyra have been working independently since 2005 and their dive center which is called Divers United has been awarded a 5 star rating by PADI, a seal of approval form the Egyption Ministry of Tourism and glowing reports form The Chamber of Diving and Water Sports of Egypt along with their ISO rating.

They have built up a reputation for providing what the diving public wants, individuals and groups alike, which is good diving, good service and good prices.

To view their packages for diving and accommodation look on http://www.elite-diving.com/
For ABTA and ATOL bonded agent e-mail info@elite-diving.com

All Inclusive and Bed and Breakfast Holiday Deals and Dive packages to Sharm El Sheikh

FEBRUARY 2010 Hoilday Deals to Sharm El Sheikh

£227 Luna Sharm Hotel – Hadaba – 3*
4th February – 7 Nights
Airport: Birmingham
B & B
£357 Amar Sinai – Hadaba – 3*
9th February – 7 Nights
Airport: Manchester
B & B
£384 Falcon Hills – Hadaba – 4*
10th February – 7 Nights
Airport: Newcastle
B & B
£199 Luna Sharm – Hadaba – 3*
23rd February – 7 Nights
Airport: Gatwick
B & B
£253 Resta Sharm – Hadaba – 4*
23rd February – 7 Nights
Airport: Gatwick
All Inclusive
£268 Creative Badawia Hotel – Hadaba – 3*
25th February – 7 Nights
Airport: Gatwick
All Inclusive
£224 Mexicana Hotel – Hadaba – 3*
27th February – 7 Nights
Airport: Gatwick
B & B
For details of our ABTA & ATOL bonded agent contact us on info@elite-diving.com
For dive packages look on http://www.elite-diving.com/

Back to Normal on the surface. Woodhouse Reef Sharm El Sheikh Red Sea

The CSCL Hamburg has finally been pulled off Woodhouse reef.

On the surface all is back to normal, but underwater it leaves its mark. A very deep gouge in the reef and the debris falling downwards also causing much damage further down the reef.

After we had been stopped from diving in the area by a police boat earlier on in the week a diver managed to make a video of the ship from underwater and you can visibly see the damage to the reef. Click on the following link to see the footage. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20FW-wuGwTI

Update 4 : Ship Crash. Hits Woodhouse Reef

These pictures were taken 8th Jan 2010 and shows only one tug is now deployed to keep the massive vessel in a safe position after the crash.


You can see Thomas reef in the foreground.
There is approx 60 meter gap between Woodhouse and Thomas reef and the CSCL Hamburg is over 250 meters long. If it was left to swing around with the tide and wind and hit Thomas, there would be even more devastation to the area.


You can gauge the size of CSCL Hamburg by the speed boat passing by.
The weather conditions in the Straits of Tiran miraculously stays favourable.... at the moment!
We'll be visiting the area again tomorrow 10/01/10 and report on the condition.

Update 3. Ship Crash. Hits Woodhouse Reef

The inevitable is happening. The wind is picking up from the North. These pictures were taken approx 2.00pm on 6th Jan 2010, seven days after the initial colision, and shows CSCL Hamburg has turned 90 degrees to the west and getting closer to Thomas reef.

Above, you can see the ship moving broadside to Thomas reef. The wind can get much stronger and its hoped that it holds off until politics are resolved.

Two tugs are stopping the ship from turning any further and hitting Thomas Reef.

A local journalist tells us that there are four companies bidding for salvage rights of the wreck. As soon as this is finalised the ship will be taken away. Conservationist all over will be holding their breath. As divers, it’s always nice diving on a new wreck but if the weather gets much worse, there will be tremendous devastation of these magnificent coral reefs.

Keep updated on http://www.elite-diving.com/redsea/redsea.html

Cheap Holiday Deals to Sharm El Sheikh

Here are a few cheap holiday deals to Sharm El Sheikh that we have found on the Internet.

JANUARY
Luna Sharm Hotel 3*
Airport: LUTON
25th January – 7 nights
£190 Bed & Breakfast

Amar Sinai Hotel 3*
Airport: MANCHESTER
24th January – 7 nights
£212 Bed & Breakfast

Coral Hills Hotel 4*
Airport: BRISTOL
23rd January – 7 nights
£246 Bed & Breakfast

Domina Coral Bay Hotel 5*
Airport: GATWICK
20th January – 7 nights
£242 Bed & Breakfast

FEBRUARY
Creative Badawia Hotel 3*
Airport: BRISTOL
11th February – 7 nights
£322 Bed & Breakfast

Mexicana Sharm Hotel 3*
Airport: BIRMINGHAM
11th February – 7 nights
£398 Bed & Breakfast

Falcon Hills Hotel 4*
Airport: MANCHESTER
9th February – 7 nights
£362 Bed & Breakfast

La Perla Sharm Hotel 3*
Airport: GATWICK
23rd February – 7 nights
£237 All Inclusive

MARCH
Luna Sharm Hotel 3*
Airport: GATWICK
11th March – 7 nights
£193 Bed & Breakfast

Coral Hills Hotel 4*
Airport: EAST MIDLANDS
10th March – 7 nights
£274 Bed & Breakfast

Sharm Grand Plaza Hotel 5*
Airport: MANCHESTER
13th March – 7 nights
£342 All Inclusive

APRIL
Amar Sinai Hotel 3*
Airport: LEEDS/BRADFORD
2nd April – 7 nights
£311 Bed & Breakfast

Coral Hills Hotel 4*
Airport: CARDIFF
9th April – 7 nights
£370 Bed & Breakfast

Update on Ship Chrashed on Woodhouse Reef Sharm El Sheikh Red Sea

It has been fortunate for CSCL Hamburg after running aground on Woodhouse reef, that the weather in the Straits of Tiran has been kind to it.

Regular diving visitors to Sharm will know how the sea can be rough in that area. Being at the mouth of the Gulf of Aqaba and exposed to approx 600 KM of open sea where the Northerly wind predominantly bears down, causing waves to crash over Woodhouse reef.

As you can see fro the photo above, this week the sea has been calm, minimising the damaged being caused to the bow section while the ship awaits repairs so it can be pull off the reef.
We will be visiting Woodhouse tomorrow and post our findings and current photos.
To keep up to date with events look on http://www.elite-diving.com/redsea/redsea.html

Ship hits Woodhouse reef in Sharm El Sheikh.

On 31st of December 2009 The CSCL Hamburg hit Woodhous reef in The Straits of Tiran Nr Sharm El Sheikh.


The ship is in excess of 250m-long. Tat the moment the damage is limited to the bow section. The ship has been grounded on the reef for a few days, and awaits repairs before attempts are made to move it off the reef. The diving industry that made Sharm the busy resort it is today, is very relived that the damage to the reef will be kept to one small area. As there is no evidence of leakage it is hoped there will be not be any contamination to the water which would have a massive adverse effect on the corals and marine life in this underwater area of outstanding natural beauty. However you can imagine the comments about having a nice new wreck on the doorstep!!!!

It is reported that boats in the area overheard VHF radio conversations between the ship’s captain and the authorities. The captain reportedly said that it appears there is no fuel or oil leakages and bilge pumps were coping with the intake of water as the damage was only limited to the bow section and its watertight compartments.

Keep up to date with these events on http://www.elite-diving.com/