The diving in Sharm is as good now as it ever was. The divers that have made the effort to get here since the direct flights from UK ceased will bear testament to that.

The ebb and flow of the tide that brings the concentrated nutrients to the area, due to it's geographical position in The Red Sea, keeps feeding the reef, and in turn produces a favourable habitat for the marine creatures that make this place their home, and also provides a great pit stop area for passers by such as the Whale Sharks, Manta's and other pelagic's. We have had one of our best ever year for spotting these big creatures this year. 

Although the restriction on direct UK flights remains in place, more and more British divers are getting here by other means as many European countries have lifted their restrictions, including Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Switzerland and Ukraine, as well as other countries outside of Europe such as Turkey and Jordan.

For those UK divers interested that hasn't yet visited Sharm since the flight ban, and are able and wanting to visit Sharm and its most wonderful dive reefs, which have experienced an unprecedented resurgence during the quiet spell, indirect flights are the only way to return to Sharm's never-ending sunshine and diving, so here's the most comprehensive travel advice available on getting to Sharm.

Click on HERE to read the original article from DIVE Magazine about ways to get to Sharm from UK.

Some of you will recognise our first Dive Center where it all started but had to move to bigger premises.

Click on the link below to see the full results from DIVE Magazine but no doubt you will get an e.mail form them thanking you for your vote.

divemagazine.co.uk/travel/8331-dive-travel-awards-top-10-dive-centres-and-resorts

Thank you once again and don't forget to come and visit us in Sharm El Sheikh soon. Contact our office for advice on how to get here. info@elite-diving.com

​Our three planned Shark Safari's to Egypt's South Red Sea in the Summer of 2019 are all confirmed Sailing's on M.Y.Bella.

We will depart from Hurghada and head South to the Shark area further down South. Our shark Safari's have had Shark bonanza's for the last three years and we can't see why 2019 will be any different.

​The main objective of these Safari's is to dive and see as many shark species as possible.  Although we are planning the Simply The Best Itinerary as this gives us the best chance of seeing more shark at that time of year, we will leave the final decision and advice down to our very professional guide Kalil and our very own G, who has found us sharks for the last three Summers. Kalil  works in that area all year round. He knows too well where the sharks are at given times, through first hand experience of diving that area for years, and also keeping his ear to the ground and gathering information from other guides diving in that area. G has also worked on the Shark Safari's for the last three Summers and together Kalil and G make up a winning team.

There are some places left on three different confirmed sailings. 

21st June to 28th June (4 places left)
29th June to 6th July (6 places left)
6th July to 13th July (6 places left)

On one dive in Summer 2018 and 2017 we had five different species of shark on the same dive. White tip reef shark. Grey Reef shark, Hammer Head shark. Thresher Shark and Oceanic White Tip Shark not to mention the Eagle rays Manta's and Whale sharks, silky sharks we saw. 

​Take a look at the report of June 2018 Shark Safari. Click here

Dining room for breakfast Lunch and Dinner. Snacks are served on the sun deck.

En suite twin cabin.

Spacious dive Deck and Kitting up area

Front Sun Deck Area

A very comfy and luxurious Safari boat.
​

​If you would like to join us on one or more of our Shark Safari's on any of these dates or find out more, please contact us by e.mail: info@elite-diving.com

A brief Video of our last Shark Safari Summer 2018.
​

​Our first full Instructor Development course is going to commence in February 2019 with already several Instructor candidates enrolled on the ten day course, and Instructors enrolled to become Staff Instructors also. The PADI Instructor exam will run straight after our course in Sharm El sheikh. This is run by PADI themselves.

We have partnered up with Course Director Kerrie Eade and Staff instructor Beth Comley who together form 'Pro Dive UK' which is a company designed to deliver professional PADI Instructor training to the diving Industry.

We are very pleased to have teamed up with Pro Dive UK to deliver Instructor training and more, to our diving community. 

Kerrie herself is a Platinum Course Director.
Reaching Platinum status is a big achievement for a PADI Course Director. It takes a lot of hard work, dedication and passion for teaching others to become PADI Instructors.  There are a other levels below this, such as Course Director, Silver Course Director and Gold Course Director, but Platinum is the highest achievement.

So what is the difference between a course director and a Platinum Course Director?
A Platinum Course Director puts in many hours of teaching besides training PADI dive masters, there is of course the IDC (Instructor Development Course) where the CD trains new Instructors. Divemaster and Instructors are Called PADI Pros’s. As PADI Pro’s, they can climb the ladder and go for MSTD (Master SCUBA Diver Trainer) by having different Instructor ratings for 5 PADI specialties.
To become a Platinum Course Director, you need to issue a minimum of 100 professional level certifications in a year, at least 30 of which were at Open Water Instructors or IDC Staff Instructor level and overall 70 percent or higher professional level continuing education ratio (pass rate).
​

​When Bethan started diving, she quickly fell in love with the sport and was fortunate to spend 4 glorious holidays in Sharm El Sheikh with Elite Diving to really get to grips with the underwater world in great company, (her words) helping her to explore the unrivaled dive sites of the Red Sea.

Now, as a Master Instructor, Bethan is committed to giving all of her students the best level of support both during their training and once it has been completed and they are working as dive professionals. She has a passion for conservation as a 100% AWARE partner and is always willing to share her knowledge with students to help them get ahead in the dive industry. Bethan is always exploring new and innovative ways to tackle the syllabus and always looks to add an element of fun to any training, so you can see how she fits in with "The 'elite' way".

Bethan has achieved Silver Elite teaching status for the last two years certifying over 250 students including 7 Divemasters, 1 Assistant Instructor and working with Kerrie to teach 12 IDCs over the past 18 months."

Alun and Moyra receiving one of their many awards.

With our own Mr Alun being a PADI Staff Instructor for over fifteen years and taught many divers to become very good instructors such as our own 'Alec Taffro Jones' for one. Alun was also awarded The Best PADI Instructor in the World for three consecutive years by PADI's very own Dive magazine Sport Diver, so we can see this being a winning team.

Alun first became a diving instructor back in 1988 and helped many divers become competent divers over the years in his local dive club. In 2002 he moved to Sharm El Sheikh after many family diving holidays there, where he stared teaching full time, and soon built up a name for himself. He formed Red Sea elite diving back in 2015 after Moyra telling him to start working for himself. 

Moyra was there on hand to help with the administration and though is a Dive supervisor herself, she never used it professionally. 

They still work and run the dive center to this day but now the younger generation is taking on more and more.

Valeria and Gwyn AKA as G&V

G & V are an integral part of the elite diving family dive center and they will also be taking part in the February Instructor Development Course for their Staff Instructor development.

It was the obvious choice for Elite Diving to team up with Pro Dive UK to head our Instructor training.

For those of you that fantasise about traveling the world being a diving instructor or just helping teach students at your local dive center or club, here is your opportunity to do it under the wing of elite diving  and Pro Dive UK in Sharm El Sheikh.

For details of our Instructor Development Courses please contact info@elite-diving.com

We need your vote for the final round.

You may or may not know, 'elite diving' were nominated for the Best Dive Centre/ Resort by DIVE on line magazine for 2018 and made the top 25 Dive Center Resorts, despite the last quiet few years due to a British direct flight ban. You may have voted for the nomination, if you did thank you so much. If you didn't and you'd like to vote for us, we have made it to the final where the top 25 Dive Centres Resorts go head to head on a vote. So even if you did vote for the nomination, we need you to vote again for the final vote. We'd like to get as far up the list as possible so every vote counts with the very big dive centers that are on the list.

They ask for you to vote for your three favorite on the list, but if you don't know the other Dive centre/resorts or you know them and you don't think they are your 2nd or 3rd  favourite, you need not vote for them. So please just vote for us if you think we are worthy of your vote.

We, here at 'elite diving' in Sharm, will be very disappointed with ourselves if you don't vote for us, however, if you don't we'd like you to tell us why not so we can look into making an even better service for you.

We only have a short time left to make your vote count. Please get on it now and get your favorite 'Dive Destination', favorite 'Dive center/Resort' and favorite 'Safari boat' on the top of the list. Don't forget. You don't have to vote for anyone you haven't dived with or been to.
http://divemagazine.co.uk/hidden/8164-dive-travel-awards-2018-the-vote

​Your vote will mean a lot to us.

Arrival Day
This is the fourth Shark Safari that 'elite diving' has undertaken. This time it was on The Diamond Explorer. The last three had produced the results. There can't be a Shark Safari without Sharks! It was the first Shark Safari for most of the divers, with a few in the group that had done one previously. All the divers eagerly awaited with anticipation the prospect of seeing some big creatures on the dives ahead.

Most of the divers arrived in Egypt on Saturday and got ferried to the boat in Port Ghalib. After a short briefing on boat procedures, everyone turned in for the night to rest up for the
weeks diving ahead.

Day 1.
The first day diving was on Abu Dabab Two. This was for all the divers to re-familiarise themselves with their equipment and weighting.

The Second dive was on Abu Daba Three, where a few of the old favourites were seen.

Day 2 
The long awaited dive on Daedalus was upon us. A 6.00 am wake up call with just about time to come around for the briefing. It was Shark Spotting Time. Once again Daedalus didn't disappoint. 

Over a period of three dives, there were Hammerhead Sharks, a Thresher shark and a silky shark. Some of our divers ticked a few boxes for the first time.

On the third dive, one of our groups were treated to a show by three manta's. The water was like a soup of microscopic life, the three mantas kept barrel rolling, feeding on the plankton in the water as they glided so gracefully in the warm thermals that contained their food.

Day 3
The boat Arrived at Elphinstone approximately 4.30 am after sailing through the night from Daedalus. 

Again an early morning call at 6.00 am to muster the divers for the treat in store for them today, and wow, what a treat. It's not often you get close up and personal to a "Longymanus" or as we call it Oceanic White Tip. This was the first of many encounters with many Oceanic's on this trip. 

​After a couple of dives on Elphinstone with these magnificent creatures, the boat sailed North, heading for The Brother Islands, stopping off at Ras Torombi for a 3rd dive before the final push for The Brothers.

The Sunset over The desert mountains as the boat sailed away was absolutely breathtaking.

Day 4
First dive on Big Brother after another early morning call. Another Thresher Shark was seen and a few more encounters with Oceanics at the end of the dive.

The second dive from the Zodiac which dropped the divers on the Wreck of Aida before drifting back to the moored boat. Soft corals cover it in abundance, creating habitat for small marine life while the Grey Reef Sharks swim in the blue occasionally coming in closer to the cleaning stations.

The third dive started from the Zodiac again and this time started on the wreck of Numidia which is fairly close to the Aida, and again the divers drifted back to the moored boat but this time they came in across a big Whale Shark. This was turning out to be yet another epic day.

Day 5
A few more encounters with more sharks on Little Brother which kept all the divers happy. They had come to see sharks and sharks they saw. Another Whale Shark although smaller hung around the divers for ten minutes before heading off into the blue. Although not many of the divers had Underwater Camera's the ones who had cameras, exchanged details and shared what they had. There were some new friends forged again.

Day 6
It was time to start heading back nearer shore. The divers complained that it was the last day of diving and that the week had gone far too quickly. There were two more dives left
​to do. One on Shab Sheer and another on Tobia Arba which was a very pretty dive and some of our divers said it reminded them of Temple Dive site in Sharm.

As all good safari's, a last get together was had after returning to dock. As the boat docked in Safaga, which is not a tourist destination, even so, G managed to seek our a bar for most of the group to join in for a beer or two.

On the next day, everyone was transported back to Hurghada for their onward journey among shouts of "We'll see you next year" and "Lets meet up with Elite Diving in Sharm before then" Well everyone is welcome. If you are interested in joining next year's Shark Safari, get your name down early as it's first come first served.

A big thanks to everyone who made this week yet another epic, and to Tony Madelin for the use of most of the photos in this post.

Contact : info@elite-diving.com 

Shark Safari Red Sea June 2018
After our Shark Safari exploits of the last two summers, we have been asked to put on another Shark Safari by a group of our divers, where we will dive Brothers, Elphinstone and Daedalus with the objective of again diving with sharks.

The three trips we ran in Summer 2016 and 2017, produced so many sharks and some very close encounters.

There are still places available if anyone else wanted to join the trip.

We hope to emulate the shark sightings again in June 2018 on board 'Diamond Explorer'

We have a few places still available.

This safari will be commencing from Hurghada and finishing in Marsa Alam on the Egyptian Red Sea.

We board the boat on 23rd June 2018 and have our first dive on Sunday 24th June. The trip includes, full board, soft drinks mineral water tea coffee and snacks, 12lt tanks, weights with free nitrox for those qualified. The price for this trip is £900. Also there will be a free Shark Awareness Course for those who want to take part. There is a PADI certificate for this course available if you purchase the manual and PADI certification inclusive for £50

How to get there
Participant's will either need to be at Hurghada Airport late on Saturday Afternoon/Evening on 23rd June 2018 or picked up from a hotel in Hurghada of arrived in Hurghada previous to the 23rd June, to get on the transfer to the safari boat.

For people flying from UK, Easy Jet are flying from Gatwick direct to Hurghada on 23rd June and returns 30th June 2018, also Thomas Cooke are flying from Manchester on the same dates.

There maybe alternative days that there are flights in and out of Hurghada and Marsa Alam, It will depend on which country you are flying from. 

Please contact info@elite-diving.com with any queries.

​Over the last seven years or so, we've regularly seen a small female Green Turtle at Ras Mohamed. Some dive guides call her Millie. We are seeing it now increase in size (if it's the same one).

We'd like to find a bit more about her, and getting photos of turtles around Sharm over the years will help.

​Firstly, we'd like to identify if there is more than one Green Turtle of this size here in the Sharm area. We've seen bigger ones, which we think could be Millies parents, and we have some photo's of Millie when she was younger. More photo's will help tremendously. 

When born, green sea turtles are only 5 cm (2 in) long. But they grow up to 1.5 meters (5 ft) in length and can weigh over 300 kg (700 lbs), making them the largest of the hard shell sea turtles. The dorsal shell of the green turtle, or carapace, is wide, smooth, and brownish-olive in color.

The underside of the shell, or plastron, is yellow. Green sea turtles are so named for the greenish hue of their skin. They have heads that cannot retract into their bodies, a trait commonly associated with turtles so our research tells us but we thought that was tortoise's. Reaching speeds of up to 56 km/h (35 mph), their streamlined shell and paddle-like flippers aid in their ability to swim quickly and with grace.

THURSDAY, 9 NOVEMBER 2017
Help us Identify The Green Turtles
Over the last seven years or so, we've regularly seen a small female Green Turtle at Ras Mohamed. Some dive guides call her Millie. We are seeing it now increase in size (if it's the same one).

Boaty McBoatface started to build up momentum in the early stages, but thank God there were a lot of you out there that saved the day and started sending in other sensible suggestions.

There were many of you who sent in more than one suggestion, which is fine by us.

Some funny ones but still quite apt were "Dive now in a Minute" that was sent in a few times, once by our very own H. "Free Abuse" was another apt one, but as I say, we never put anything with FREE written down in writing. It could get misconstrued!!!! Another popular one was "STUNNING" which many of you know is Mr Alun's catch phrase. "NEWTRIANTS" which is a reference to Alec's awesome briefings was also brandished about. The one that was always going to be a non starter was sent in by Danny Calvert. I can only assume he was having a laugh as "St George" isn't welcome in these parts since the Crusades although there already a boat named that in Travco Marina.

Callum-Valentino Rossi suggested we call the boat "The Big G". The only other person to back him up was G himself. Sorry lads!

There were also some very nice suggestions that were in the Welsh Launguage, Swn Y Mor (Sound of the sea), Seren Sinai (Sinai Star) Cariad (my love) Y DDraig Goch (The Red Dragon), Calon Lan (Pure of Heart) and many more.

Also you romantics out there pushed this one almost to the top. "Moyra Lee" but it's bad luck to re-name a boat with a ladies name. 
Mr Alun said. "It would be OK in this case, as she's no lady, she's my wife" which got him a thump from the Boss!

One that we had a few suggestions for would be a task to write on the boat, even though Mr Richard Jones suggested writing the name from the Starboard side around to the Port side. LLanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch!!!!!! Thanks Nikki and a few others!

In the end, there were two most popular names/words. We are very pleased with the both. There are two words which kept cropping up. One being Dragon accompanied before or after by another word like Red, Welsh, Diver, Sharm (Mr Alun's favorite Mary Jones) even Sakara!!! The other being Elite accompanied by others such as Dragon, Red Sea, Sharm, Explorer, Shearwater, and many more.

In the end we chose the word that appeared all on it's own the most. So the name of our new boat is
plain and simple, one word just like Lido was, and I'm sure it won't come as much of a surprise. 

​The name of our boat is....

​Plenty of upper deck space.

The Lounge has been named "The Lyn and Linda lounge" in honour of Alun's mother and father who donated the funds to be able to buy the boat.

The third member of the crew needs no introduction for our elite diving regulars. He again was hand picked, but is also the most popular with the majority of elite divers after working with us for 5 years while a member of the LIDO crew. Yes Zenger is now on our team.

All of us at elite diving in Sharm, look forward to welcoming you onto our new acquisition.