Nearest to the coast line is the El Mina wreck dive site. This site is also known as the ‘Harbour Wreck,’ in connection to its location within the harbour of Hurghada. This particular wreck is made up of an Egyptian minesweeper sunk by an Israeli bomber in 1969. With a depth of 30 meters, most of the dives organized in this site are done by more experienced divers. The area also experiences decreased visibility and strong currents in some days, making it dangerous for novices. The wreck itself can be penetrated, though this is not recommended due to tight spaces within. However, it is possible to peer through several holes to have a glimpse of its interiors. The ship’s structure is relatively small, and divers can swim from stern to bow several times in a single dive. The wreck is home to a number of sea urchins and moray eels. It is interesting to note that a sister ship is anchored in the harbor, providing some sort of comparison for divers interested in attempting a dive to this site.

Another interesting wreck dive site is located at the Sha’abrur Umm Gamar, the final resting place of Colona IV, a charter boat that sunk in 1995. The wreck is said to be 66 meters down the sea floor, and is visited only by experienced divers. Because this wreck is relatively new, only a few corals are anchored to it. Because the boat is quite small, precise information are needed before organizing a dive to it. Most dive centers in Hurghada are capable of taking interested divers to this site, with slightly varying fees.

Most dive centers can also organize dives to the wreck known as the Suzanna. The original name of the vessel is Excalibur, a sailboat that got burned and sunk in the 1990s for unknown reasons. Resting 22 meters down on the sea floor, this site is quite accessible to all types of divers, even those taking open water courses. Current is minimal and visibility ranges from excellent to medium. The wreck still stands upright, and the damage sustained in the fire can still be discerned. Fishes that made this wreck home include the glassfish, barracuda, and lionfish. This dive site is accessible either by boat or through beach entry.

Still yet another interesting diving destination is the solemn wreck of the Salem Express, a tragic loss that sunk in 1991, along with hundreds of its passengers. Interested individuals should know beforehand that traces of its passengers can still be discerned, like suitcases, stereos, and remnants of clothing. Diving in this site is not for everyone, as the vessel’s tragedy looms very large in the mind of every diver circling it.

Located further away from the city and taking several hours to reach are the wreck sites of Carnatic, a steam vessel, and the cargo vessel named Ghiannis D.

The most recent addition to this list of wreck sites Hurghada is the resting place of MY Balena, a safari boat that sunk in 2001. Located just 9 meters down on the sea floor, the site is also just a few minutes away from the shores of Hurghada. This makes it quite an ideal site for novices, with the proliferation of soft corals on the vessel’s surface and abundance of barracudas darting in and out of its body providing added visual delights.

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There are two ways of doing this;
Positive entry

Make sure you have some air (at least half full) in your BCD, then holding all equipment in place as you would for a Giant Stride, right hand on your mask and regulator and your left hand holding your weight belt and pressure gauge. Then position yourself with your tank on the outside of the rubber tube from the zodiac and when the zodiac driver or dive guide gives you the go signal make a gentle backwards roll. The buoyancy from the BCD will make sure you come safely back to the surface. Give the driver and dive guide the OK signal then on with your dive.

Negative entry

This one’s a bit trickier. The idea for the negative entry is to swim straight down to a predetermined depth as soon as you enter the water. This is mostly used to overcome any surface currents that can occur at shallow depths.
Empty all the air from your BCD using all of the dumps on your jacket. Then it’s the same procedure to enter the water as before.
Once you feel your face hit the water then start to fin downwards.

If you have a rear dump valve on your BCD it’s also a good idea to reach back and pull on it so you’re sure that all the air is released from the jacket as you descend. Don’t forget to equalize!

Stop when you reach your predetermined depth, then, once you’ve made contact with your buddy or dive guide continue the dive as planned.

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When you’ve been in a Holiday resort for a while the life becomes ‘normal’ it’s no longer exciting to wake up in the morning and the sun is shining and always smile and think what it WAS like going to work in the rain! When you’ve dived the same places 200 or moire times that you know every Fish by name!

That has to and will not be tolerated in our center all the staff involved in this new project have been hand picked for their attention to guest service, we don’t forget that some of you save and work hard for a year to come on holiday for a just a week to relax and dive. So for you that Bluespotted stingray IS exciting and that Trigger Fish is NOT just an annoying fish to get away from!

So with all this in mind we are preparing to give you the best we can give and at a price comparable with any travel agency offer you might receive.

We value feedback and it is the life and blood of the diving center so if you pass our site while surfing and browsing then head to the contact form and tell us what you like about diving and what you don’t like, nobody can change if they don’t understand if anything is wrong… What are your ultimate dive wishes, what sets you off like nothing else when your underwater? Go on it only takes a minute get in contact with us and let us know!

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We plan to give you the best without compromise, lately we have seen a trend in Hurghada towards budget services, bad quality boat’s & equipment, staff who don’t speak your language etc well it has to stop and stop now!

Those of you who know Andrea and I know that when we have our own diving center it WILL be one of the best, we already proved that in Calimera Golden Beach and Sunrise Garden Beach and in those diving centers we were ‘just’ the manager’s!

Keep up to date by subscribing to the RSS Feed or email updates.

Are you a diver? do you want to be a diver? Have any writing skills? d-atmosphere.com/blog is looking for guest writer’s! Do you have any past experience diving with us and would like to share it? Contact us for further details.

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Anyone possessing the necessary requirements and are 12 years old or more can avail themselves of the PADI Advanced Open Water Diver course. Those who have procured their open water certification elsewhere should need to bring and produce necessary documents to verify they are fit and suitable to take this advanced course. All dive centers in Hurghada have certified diving instructors who posses expertise in ensuring the safety and enjoyment of each student.

Fees for the PADI Advanced Course in Hurghada vary slightly from one dive center to another, though most of these courses are Five Dives over a maximum of three days and are inclusive of all the equipments during the whole course. Students of this course get to try several diving specialties, like Underwater Navigation and Deep Diving are compulsory. Deep dives are done up to a depth of 30 meters, where students get to try navigating with and without a compass. Different techniques are also taught on how to measure the time spent underwater. Students of the PADI Advanced course can also get to experience night diving. This activity is quite exciting and particularly unforgettable for first timers. It is during night dives that they will get to see several marine organisms providing peculiar lights of their own. Some dive centers even accommodate preferences of students to go night diving in special sites like ship wrecks. During this dive, students also get to know how to properly handle night lights.

Apart from the above-mentioned compulsory dives, students have the option of having three more dives, depending on what’s offered by the dive center they selected. Most dive centers offer boat dives, drift dives, dry suit dive, peak performance buoyancy, underwater videography, using a diver propulsion vehicle, search and recovery dive, underwater photography, fish identification, and, of course, wreck dive.

When diving further offshore, most students of this course also get to try and experience the different techniques of getting off and getting back on the boat with their diving gear on.

When students get their certification for the PADI Advance Open Water Diver course, they not only achieve advancement in their level of diving expertise, they also gain further confidence in going scuba diving with only a buddy and not rely on an instructor.

Apart from the usual advance courses in Hurghada, there is also the advance open water diving plus course offered by PADI, in which a Medic First Aid course is incorporated into the lesson. This is particularly useful to those planning on advancing to Rescue Diver course.

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Sharm El Sheikh is a city in the northern part of the Red Sea and used to be the sole haven of those wishing to go scuba diving. However, those who seek to enjoy this recreation in less crowded environment found Hurghada to be a perfect option.

Those planning on organizing a trip to go Scuba Diving in Hurghada will be please to know that the climate there is quite favorable all year round. However, the waters get a tad warmer from June to September, perfect for those who are not accustomed to colder months.

Both Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh owe their developments and profits from widely diverse marine life supported by the Red Sea. This particular body of water has several animal and plant species unique only in its waters. This alone is such a big attraction to both professional and amateur scuba divers, local and foreign.

Thanks to marine conservation efforts (HEPCA, Hurghada Environmental Protection and Consvervation Agency) started early on, the population of corals in the area is thriving. First time divers would be particularly awed at the profusion of colors found in the numerous diving spots in Hurghada. Among the fishes common in the area are jacks, reef fishes, snappers, and barracudas. Lionfish is also one species abundant and this area is a good setting for those wishing to take underwater pictures of this elusive type of fish. Other interesting sights include turtles, huge moray eels, and blue spotted rays.

Divers can have the option of daytime or night diving. With a number of Scuba Diving shops in Hurghada, interested persons won’t have difficulty procuring equipments and guides, and lessons are available for first timers. Though most would opt to explore the clear yet shallow waters close to the shore, there are also some experienced divers who would prefer to avail themselves of boat dives to nearby Giftun Islands and Sha’ab Abu Nuhas, or to Salem Express. Another interesting option would be visiting the wreck sites of El Mina, Excalibur, and Colona IV.

Scuba Diving in Hurghada entails exploring reefs and walls of corals found in several sites like the Careless Reef, Small Giftun, Sha’ab El Fanadir, Sha’ab Sabina, and Gota Abu Ramada.

And after a particularly pleasurable yet tiring day spent mostly Scuba Diving in Hurghada, divers would be glad to know that modern yet comfortable amenities await them in the nearby shores. With the desert landscape as it backdrop, it’s no wonder that this increasingly popular Egyptian city is slowly making its mark in international tourism, particularly in the aspect of scuba diving.

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