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Reefs & Wrecks

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Red Sea

UD Rating – 4 Star

Longimanus

A multiple award-winning safari boat designed to meet the needs of true divers.

Far beyond the mainland, diving down into the depths of the Red Sea, this liveaboard offers not only unforgettable dive adventures, but also a first class service on the beautiful dive cruise ship M/Y Longimanus.

The 36m long luxurious wooden yacht is equipped with state-of-the-art diving and safety equipment. Exclusive design, excellent cuisine and experienced dive guides will make your stay on board an unforgettable experience.

Two powerful engines bring you to the most remote dive sites in no time at all. Width and layout allow a smooth and comfortable trip even in rough waters. Our boat, the kitchen crews’ service, and the freshly prepared meals do not have to fear being compared to a luxury hotel.

The Longimanus Crew along side captain Ahmed are at least 10 and is among the best crews in the Red Sea. Languages on board are English and Arabic. Our guides are happy to help with possible language difficulties and are always there for you in case you have any questions.

Let yourself be pampered by our professional crew, who will do their best to make your holiday a very special experience.
The Longimanus was built in Suez and completed in October 2003 in Safaga. With the construction of this ship it met Mahmoud Abd El Hady (owner of the Barakuda dive centers in Safaga and Lahami Bay) childhood dream.

Deluxe Double Cabin

8 spacious air conditioned en-suite double cabins on the lower deck with complimentary towels and robes.

  • Air Conditioning
  • En-suite
  • Towels and robes

Suite

2 air conditioned suites with queen size beds and en-suites on the upper deck. Complimentary towels and bath robes.

  • Air Conditioning
  • En-suite
  • Towels and robes
  • Mini bar
  • Queen size bed

Route Options

North of Hurghada the Red Sea is divided into two arms, the Gulf of Aqaba and the Gulf of Suez. The entrance to the Gulf of Suez is the Gubal Strait where numerous wrecks lie.

A few of the tours dive sites are:

Abu Nuhas which offers 4 wrecks. The F.E Giannis D, a Greek cargo ship, Kimon M, Chrisoula K the tile transporter and the Carnatic an old post ship.

The Rosalie Möller an English ship that was sunk by German airplanes. However, this wreck is very rarely visited because of its location.

The Thistlegorm maybe the wreck highlight of the Red Sea. An English war supply ship that sunk while it was at anchor with all its freight. You can see trucks, motorcycles and locomotives.

Our opinion: this is a safari with a focus on wrecks, but nevertheless, a lot of coral gardens.

The Daedalus Reef, Zabergad and Rocky Island are part of the national Marine Park South. The park offers reefs along breathtaking walls covered with stunning soft coral and beautiful plateaus.

Daedalus Reef (south of the Brother Islands); in the north the reef drops down from a wall into the depth. Very strong currents. Meeting point for Hammerheads and Longimanus.

Rocky Island it is surrounded by a narrow closed fringing reef. Fascinating reefs along beautiful walls. The major highlight are the sharks.

Zabargad here you have the possibility to hover over drop offs or simply enjoy the impressing coral towers while swimming by. Turtles use the island as a nesting place.

Our opinion: Very strong currents and steep reefs offer challenging, exciting and unforgettable dives. Night dives are not allowed in the Marine Park South.

On this tour divers get to experince the pristine reefs in the south between Ras Gahlib and St. Johns Reef. Rarely visited they offer a unique and almost untouched underwater world.

Gota Soraya is a small reef with a beautifully overgrown wall. On this dive you can see sharks and Manta Rays.

Gota Kebir small caves, schools of fish and amazing soft corals.

Habili Ali one of the top spots in the Red Sea, tarts in only 6-7m of water and can only be reached when the sea is calm.

Habili Jaffar this little gem captivates you with beautiful wall dives. Can also only be reach with calm seas.

Our opinion: A tour where everyone can find something special. Steep walls, coral gardens, complex caves and grottoes provide diversity.

Vessel Details

Year Built 2003
Length & Width 36m x 8m
Engines 2x764 PS Caterpillar
Generators 2x80 kW 1x30kW 220V
Navigation GPS, radar, sonar, compass
Water Desalination plant 6t / day 15t reserve
Equipment Rental Scuba diving equipment rental available on-board
Air compressors 2 Coltri Sub 265L/min./ Nitrox membrane system
Dive Deck A spacious dive deck with steel ladders from the dive platform
Emergency Equipment Life raft, life vests, fire extinguisher, oxygen, first aid equipment, VHF transmitter, AED, EPIRB, ENOS
Tanks 12 l aluminum DIN, 15L steel on request
Zodiacs 2 Zodiacs with 40hp outboards
Full Equipment €22
Mask, Fins & Snorkel €3
Wetsuits €7
Regulator €7
BCD €7
Dive Computer €7
Equipment Rental Equipment Rental prices above are per day and when pre-booking

Available Experiences

ITINERARIES AVAILABLE IN THIS DESTINATION

Marcelina

Wednesday, 10 April 2019

Sunrise Marina Resort & Emperor Divers in Marsa Alam

The overall holiday was excellent value for money. Emperor Divers provided an outstanding dive experience on day boat trips to provide some of the most relax dives I have ever encountered at reasonable depths.

Sunrise Marina Resort & Emperor Divers in Marsa Alam

What Our Customers Have To Say

Reviews from our Clients, Journalists, Photo Pro's and our own Experts

Our reviews and blogs are an additional guide to evaluate of the holiday is exactley what you are looking for or not. Some love an Eco-Resort, some love air-con and a flat screen TV, we aim to ensure you get what you are looking for, at great value for money.

Daedalus Reef

Marsa Alam, Red Sea

A huge round reef with a lighthouse more than 40 miles away from the coast, features an excellent opportunity for spotting big pelagics including manta rays. All around its steep walls you will see an extreme variety of fish and coral. Good chance to see schooling hammerheads on the northern point. Strong currents possible.

  • Dive Type: Boat Dive
  • Diver Level: Open Water Diver
  • Max Depth:

Rocky Island

Marsa Alam, Red Sea

Tiny rock emerging a few feet out of the water, it offers one of the most incredible underwater scenarios of the whole Red Sea. Steep walls falling into the deep blue, currents, soft corals and a great abundance of pelagics and all kinds of fish.

  • Dive Type: Boat Dive
  • Diver Level: Open Water Diver
  • Max Depth:

Abu Nuhas

Hurghada , Red Sea

Also known as “Ships Graveyard”, Abu Nuhas is located close to the busy shipping lanes of the Gulf of Suez. Four wrecks are lying in a chain on a sandy bottom of a steep sloping reef covered with table corals. The following wrecks are found there;

Ghiannis D was on the way from Rijeka to AI Hudayda at the southern end of the Red Sea, when the bow ran aground on the reef on April 19, 1984. The rear half of the wreck lies on the port side. At the front the funnel is the large letter “D” signifying the name of the shipping company, Danae. In front of the funnel is the bridge deck with different areas, an enormous winch and the bollard. Narrow portholes lead into the engine room. The mid-ship area resembles a scrap heap where steel girders are bent and torn up, and the side panels lie caved in on the bottom. Crocodile fish, scorpion fish, parrotfish, and groupers call the vessel home. This wreck is at 30 - 88 feet/10 - 27meters depth.

Carnatic was on the way from Liverpool to Bombay with 27 crew members, 203 passengers as well as a cargo of cotton, copper, and 40,000 pounds Sterling in gold. She ran aground in the night September 13,1869. Now the wreck lies at a depth of 65 - 88 feet/20 - 27 meters. The hull is covered with hard and leather corals.

Chrisoula K started her last trip on August 30, 1981 loaded with cheap Italian tiles. Chrisoula K ran aground due to a navigation mistake of the captain and sank in the same night. The wreck lies at 16 - 80 feet/5 - 25 meters depth.

Shaab el Erg: Shaab el Erg, also known as “Dolphin House”, is famous for dolphin sightings; it is not uncommon for a school of dolphins to join the dive. The reef drops down to a coral garden at 40 feet/12 meters deep with marine life like nudibranchs, tunas, trevallies, jacks, scorpionfish and sea turtles.

  • Dive Type: Boat Dive
  • Diver Level: Advanced Open Water Diver
  • Max Depth: 25m

SS Thistlegorm

Hurghada , Red Sea

The Thistlegorm was discovered in 1956 by Jacques Cousteau and is probably the most famous wreck in the world. It sank in 1941 when it was hit by a German bomb that blew a hole in the port side, igniting tank ammunition that was in the hold. The explosion ripped the roof of the ship backwards, rather like opening a tin of sardines.
The stern section of the wreck lies almost horizontal to the sea bed; the remainder of the wreck is nearly upright. Inside the wreckage, tyres, tanks, motorbikes, Bedford trucks, waders and Wellington boots can be seen. Penetration is possible around the bridge and blast area. The large prop is still in position and the guns on the stern are in excellent condition.
Artillery litters the blast area. A bath tub can be seen towards the bow and a toilet near the stern. The sea life is impressive with possibility of seeing tuna overhead the resident turtle. Expect this to be very busy, especially once the day boats have reached it; it is likely to be chaos both on the surface and under the water.

  • Dive Type: Boat Dive
  • Diver Level: Open Water Diver
  • Max Depth:

Rosalie Moller

Hurghada , Red Sea

Rosalie Moller sank in the 1940's. She was hit by a bomb. Penetration is accessible as the cracks are huge, but it is not necessary as the significant parts of the wreck are visible from the outside.
The prop and rudder are still in good condition. The deck is in good condition and very clean. The sea life is amazing, with glassfish that can be seen by the deck and reef sharks that can be spotted.

  • Dive Type: Boat Dive
  • Diver Level: Advanced Open Water Diver
  • Max Depth: 25m

Giannis D

Hurghada , Red Sea

This Greek freighter hit the reef in April 1983 and over the course of two weeks slowly broke into two parts and sank. She is the most dived wreck in the area, laying in 24 metres and leaning to port with a fully intact stern section and an impressive engine room packed with glass fish.

The bow is very interesting too but is a long swim out. She is a great wreck for penetration but beware of disorientation due to the angle at which she lays. Be wary of the many lion fish and scorpion fish that call this wreck home and watch out for the strong surges in and around the wreck in rough weather.

  • Dive Type: Boat Dive
  • Diver Level: Advanced Open Water Diver
  • Max Depth: 24m

Carnatic

Hurghada , Red Sea

The Carnatic is a British P & O steamer which struck the reef in 1869 and sank the next day as the weather worsened. She was a passenger and mail ship and is sometimes known as the ‘wine’ wreck for the numerous bottles once found in the holds; sadly not many now remain to be seen. Rumour has it that she sank with forty thousand pounds sterling of gold bullion, much of which was never recovered. The wreck lays in 29m and now the whole hull is draped in multicoloured soft corals and the inner areas are full of glass fish complete with red mouthed grouper sentinel. One davit supports a beautiful table coral. The wreck is now home to large grouper, octopus and morays and jacks and tuna cruise overhead.

  • Dive Type: Boat Dive
  • Diver Level: Advanced Open Water Diver
  • Max Depth: 29m

Zabargad Island

Marsa Alam, Red Sea

Zabargad is the largest of Egypt's 4 Southern Red Sea marine parks and lies just 5 km northwest of Rocky Island in the deep south, 70 km off the mainland. The island has exquisite turquoise bays, sandy beaches and a 235m high hill at its centre. Zabargad means topaz in Egyptian, and you can still find evidence of an island community that mined the semi-precious stones here.

Red Sea diving is at its best on Zabargad Island's south east coast in the sheltered Turtle Bay. Here you'll find a wall to 15m then a coral reef slope down to 30m or so and then a drop off into the blue. The reef slope is a maze of coral patches and dome turrets, forming refuges to reef fish such as pufferfish and sweetlips, and invertebrates such as cuttlefish and octopus. The floor is home to bluespotted stingrays, scorpionfish and crocodilefish, and of course turtles are found here too. Green and hawksbill turtles hatch on the beach here in the month of August.

It's best to dive along the reef wall here as the coral growth is dense and there are many caverns and gullies to explore. There are also a couple of passageways that lead directly into the inner lagoon behind the reef wall.

Outside of the sheltered bays, Zabargad has steep walls that offer some great Red Sea drift diving. The usual sharks can be sighted here, such as oceanic whitetips and grey reef. It's also a good place for manta encounters, where these rays come into the reef to attend cleaning stations dotted along the ledges at 15-30m.

On the northeast coast of Zabargad lies the Khanka Wreck, a 70m long USSR transport/surveillance ship that sank upright in 24m of water in the 1970s. The bow has impact damage and lies on its port side but the rest of the wreck is in good condition. The main superstructure lies just 10m below the water's surface. Although there is little coral growth here yet, there are several interesting sections of the ship to explore on a dive, such as the holds, bridge and engine room, which are filled with glassfish and are easy to explore from the 2 large openings to be found in the bow and stern.

Large winches and heavy chains are in evidence towards the bow. You can access the engine room through the hatches in midships. The bridge is found down a narrow stairwell where you can still find the helm, chart room and control panels. The main mast is intact and is a great place for a safety stop since it rises to just 2m below the surface.

Down the west coast of the island, lies the remains of the Neptuna. This was a German Red Sea diving safari boat that sank here in 1981. It has now broken apart but much of what remains is visible on the sea floor. The area is fairly shallow with coral bommies rising from 15m. Sometimes night dives are taken here

  • Dive Type: Boat Dive
  • Diver Level: Advanced Open Water Diver
  • Max Depth: 30m

Gota Soraya

Marsa Alam, Red Sea

Gota Soraya is rated as possibly one of the best wall dives in the Red Sea, with overhangs and cracks in the reef wall full of glass fish and sweepers and an abundance of corals, Grey Reef, Silvertips and Hammerhead sharks.

  • Dive Type: Boat Dive
  • Diver Level: Open Water Diver
  • Max Depth: 30m

Gota Kebir

Marsa Alam, Red Sea

Gota Kebir is a massive reef, famous for its tunnels and south plateau, where jacks and barracudas can be seen and the occasional manta. The tunnels are ideal for novice cave divers.

  • Dive Type: Boat Dive
  • Diver Level: Advanced Open Water Diver
  • Max Depth: 30m
Dates Duration Route Room Type Price
30 May 2024
6 Jun 2024
7 Nights St. Johns / Deep South Suite £0
13 Jun 2024
20 Jun 2024
7 Nights St. Johns / Deep South Suite £0
27 Jun 2024
4 Jul 2024
7 Nights St. Johns / Deep South Suite £888
11 Jul 2024
18 Jul 2024
7 Nights St. Johns / Deep South Suite £0
18 Jul 2024
25 Jul 2024
7 Nights Daedalus, Zabargad and Rocky Island Suite £0
8 Aug 2024
15 Aug 2024
7 Nights St. Johns / Deep South Suite £0
15 Aug 2024
22 Aug 2024
7 Nights Daedalus, Zabargad and Rocky Island Suite £0
29 Aug 2024
5 Sep 2024
7 Nights Daedalus, Zabargad and Rocky Island Suite £888
5 Sep 2024
12 Sep 2024
7 Nights St. Johns / Deep South Suite £0
3 Oct 2024
10 Oct 2024
7 Nights Daedalus, Zabargad and Rocky Island Suite £0
24 Oct 2024
31 Oct 2024
7 Nights Daedalus, Zabargad and Rocky Island Suite £0
5 Dec 2024
12 Dec 2024
7 Nights North/Wreck Tour Suite £0