This Big Squid Live aboard trip on board Mv Mariana,

Join Big squid on this week long Maldives live aboard departing from Male, open to divers of advanced level and above with 40+ logged dives, although experienced Open Water divers are not precluded. On both previous trips to the Maldives we have seen whalesharks, Manta and grey reef sharks

Over the past thirty years an incredible range of world class dive sites have been charted in the atolls surrounding the capital, Male.  visits many of the Maldives best known dive sites following a flexible itinerary that take account of local diving conditions.  The boat will generally operate in both North and South Male atoll, Felidhe and Ari atoll. South Male, Ari, Felidhe, Baa and Lhaviyani atolls. In South Male, the diving will typically incorporate the beautiful marine park of Guraidhoo. Further south, the sheer walls of Felidhe atoll often attract a great range of shark species. Dive sites in Baa and Lhaviyani are well established and offer some of the most thrilling drift dives in the Maldives. Itineraries will incorporate some (but not all) of these areas over a typical week’s diving.

• Day 1: Easy wreck dive near Male airport, Velasaaru Caves, Embudhu Express and anchor in Velasaaru lagoon
• Day 2: Cruise to Ari Atoll (3 to 4 hours), Fish Head, Orimas Thila, Mushim Asgali anchor with possible land visit on uninhabited island
• Day 3: Pannetone, Thundufushi Thila, Dega Thila, anchor at Coral reef
• Day 4: Emas Thila, Malhoss Thila, Mujey's Thila and anchor at Freidhu lagoon
• Day 5: Feshdu Wreck, Maayya Thila, Maaya Thila night dive, anchor at Maayya Fushi
• Day 6: Miyaruga Thila, Gangehi Pass, Rashdoo Maadivaaru, anchor inside Rhashdoo

MV Mariana specifications here

Passports

Passengers travelling to the Maldives must have six months valid on their passport from the date of return to the UK.

Visas

A free 30 day permit is given to British travellers on arrival in Male. Other nationalities should consult their consular website.

Vaccinations

Vaccination requirements are subject to change and should be confirmed before departure.  For the most up to date advice please consult your travel clinic or local GP.  Further information regarding vaccinations for travel to this country can be found at www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk.  There are no compulsory vaccinations for travel to the Maldives, but we recommend protection against typhoid, tetanus, hepatitis A and polio.

to book contact Big Squid on 020 7627 0700 or e mail info@bigsquid.co.uk

Included: 6 days diving, tanks weights, air, full board on Mv Marianna, flights Not included: equipment hire £20 per day , suit hire £5 per day,

This Big Squid Live aboard trip on board dream diver saudi arabian reefs itinerary

Join Big squid on this week long Saudi live aboard open to divers of advanced level and above , if you are an open water diver we can complete the advanced course on this trip

Where are all the boats?

we will encounter very few other vessels and certainly no divers other than your fellow travellers. If you do, it is likely to be another boat from the dive centre or a local fisherman in a small, handcrafted dhow. This extends to having the dive sites to yourself – it instantly relaxes the pace of your holiday on your first day in the water, without the frenetic activity of a busy port or dive boats bustling for mooring space.

Unexplored Reefs and Spectacular Corals

Saudi Arabia’s western coastline stretches for around 1,600 km and the diving concentrates around the embarkation points of Al Lith, just over 3 hours drive south of Jeddah and Yanbu, around 4 hours north of Jeddah. In these areas there remain countless unexplored reefs. Unexplored can be an overused word, but given the enormity of the country of Saudi Arabia and its dominance of the eastern side of the Red Sea, the variety and number of reef systems cannot be underestimated.

Growing Favourites – Farasan Banks

For those who already have regular access to these reefs, there are many dive sites that are becoming firm favourites and are already well mapped. A prevailing feature of the Farasan Banks dive sites in the south is exposed, small, sanded islands with graded drops offs of several steps, ending in large underwater sandy plateaus on the leeside of the current before dropping into the blue.  This provides great opportunities for exhilarating dives at the current point and exposed plateau of the reef or more gentle dives behind the protection of the wall.  The islands also act as stopping off points for sea and migrating birds, as well as some protected areas for turtle nesting

Farasan Banks from Al Lith

This series of underwater reef systems stretches for approximately 800 km down the West coast of Saudi Arabia, starting around 90 minutes cruising time from the diver’s base at Al Lith and ending in the Farasan Islands much further south.  The reefs are primarily walls on the east and west side, dropping to 500 metres in places, with sandy plateaux on the north and south ends starting in shallow waters and graduating down.

A common feature of many of the reefs is beautiful gullies and canyons, indicative of the strong currents that can sometimes be present in the area. Many of the reefs poke their heads above the surface, offering a small sandy refuge to indigenous and migrating bird life and nesting turtles.

Marine life more common to this area than the northern Red Sea are Bumphead Parrot fish, several shark species including grey, silky and black reef tip, and green turtles

Maluthu Island

With a few choices of dramatic dives, this large reef offers a spectacular wall dive, an expansive exposed plateau with large hard coral heads, drop offs and on the south-western side, small swim-throughs and gullies throwing shadows and shapes in the water.

Shiib Ammar

Offering a safe overnight mooring site for the liveaboard, Shiiab Ammar lagoon gives the opportunity for a safe night dive. Dolphins are commonly sighted, though can remain shy and elusive in the water, but sometimes these lagoons offer the ideal opportunity to get a little closer as pods enter the lagoons to rest.

Long Reef

As the name suggests, this large elongated reef is characterised by a large, sandy bottomed canyon gradually dropping from 15 metres to depths out of reach, where feather-tailed and honeycomb rays can be sighted buried in the sand. The inside walls are covered by an array of healthy hard and soft corals and reef fish.

Gorgonian Point

A large ‘forest’ of healthy Gorgonians fans cling doggedly to the side of the walls at around 35 – 40 metres depth, with bubble coral and whip coral offering safe refuge for numerous smaller marine species. For those who can be entertained for hours by the chameleon like behaviour of Cuttle fish, sightings are common. Large numbers seem more prevalent in the first half of the year, possibly connected to water temperature.

Other memorable sites are Chioppi Point, Marmar Island and Mudhaar Reef.

A number of marine science agencies, such as Khaled Bin Sultan ‘Living Oceans Foundation’ are carrying out extensive projects, including Whaleshark tagging programmes.

Transfer from Jeddah International Airport to the Southern Charter (Al-lith the Northern Farasan Banks) is approximately two hours & half, to Yanbu on Nourthern Charter it is three hours, water & soft drinks are on the bus

On your last day you will arrive in Jeddah at approximately 1700 hrs enjoy two hours in the Old City then proceed to the International Airport, if you wish to eat out there are many Restaurants on Snacks Bars available for you to choose from.

you can see the details of the dive sites here

dream master specifications here

 A normal day will begin at 0800 hrs with a snack and morning dive, upon returning to the boat a full cooked breakfast will be served then relax until the second dive around 1100 hrs, upon returning you will have lunch, third dive at around 1500 hrs snack then night dive at 1930 hrs upon completion your cooked evening meal is served.

Typical menu:
Snack: Fruit yoghurt, corn flakes, coco pops, nuttela, jam, fruit juices, tea and coffee.
Breakfast: Fried eggs, scrambled eggs, sausages, cold meat and cheese, cereals, fruit and plain yoghurt with honey and a selection of jams, fruit juices, soft drinks, tea and coffee.
Lunch: Deep fried chicken, beef in oyster sauce, rice, French fries salad.
Dinner: Prawns roast whole grouper, spring rolls, rice and salad.
Snacks, soft drinks, tea and coffee available twenty four hours a day as is fresh fruit, on two of your evenings you will have sushi or sashimi depending on the fish caught that day.

Supplements

• Visa: £115
• Non-alcoholic beers, imported juices and soft drinks, and Espresso coffee, when available:  €1 each

Equipment available in resort:

• 12l Aluminium tanks – air only
• 15l or steel tanks – Not available at present
• ‘A’ clamp fitting – clients with DIN regulators please take your adaptor

Equipment rental in resort:

• BCD and regulators only:  25 Saudi Riyal per day

to book contact Big Squid on 020 7627 0700 or e mail info@bigsquid.co.uk