During this week, divers will experience pristine diving, as well as becoming involved in a fundamental study of one of the world’s most unique marine habitats – the Red Sea. The week will involve close encounters with sharks, manta rays and whale sharks (although these sightings cannot be guaranteed!) with the possibility to observe them in their natural habitat and donate vital information to the study.

Founded by expert dive guide and marine biologist, Elke Bojanowski Ph.D, in her quest to track and collect basic population data on oceanic whitetip sharks (Carcharhinus Longimanus), in the Egyptian Red Sea.

Elke began the Longimanus Project in October 2004 and since this date she has been actively collecting underwater photographs and video-clips of the Oceanic Whitetip for catalogue, review and analysis. Joining the blue o two team in 2007, Elke unifies blue o two’s unique panel of expert dive guides; all offering our divers exceptional skills in scuba diving, marine studies and underwater audio-visual production.

Project shark is delivered by our team of expert dive guides, who will conduct seminars giving divers the opportunity to gain a better understanding of the biology and behaviour of sharks within the Red Sea. There will also be a chance to learn about globally endangered marine species and what as a diver we can do to aid their protection.

Why join this itinerary?

Encounters with endangered species allows divers to add a greater purpose to their Red Sea holiday, so anyone who has an active interest in the preservation of the marine environment and its inhabitants would enjoy this itinerary. However, important to bear in mind is that as well as learning from experts about marine bio-studies within the Red Sea, divers will enjoy daily diving on very special reefs; Brother Islands and Elphinstone Reefs, as well as Daedalus Reef, St. Johns, Zabagrad and Rocky Islands on allocated weeks, making this an equally enjoyable week for those just wanting to enjoy the diving.

The Brother Islands (El Akhawein) are the pinnacles of two undersea mountains rising from the depths of the abyss 300m deep and are located about 60 miles offshore. Big Brother, which is easily identified with it’s lighthouse, is about 100 metres across and 400 metres in length, with two extremities to the east and west. Little Brother lies about 800 metres east of Big Brother

As part of the Marine Park Islands National Park, these islands offer stunning wall diving and a breath-taking display of colour with their rich variety of soft corals and gorgonians which cover the walls.

You will find large and small fish here in abundance; tuna, barracuda, shoals of snappers and jack fish, as well a hammerheads, silky and oceanic white tip sharks, even the occasional thresher shark and manta ray. Sightings of the Grey Reef Shark are almost guaranteed on the North and South Plateaux of Small Brother.

For the wreck diver, the wrecks of the Aida II, an 82 m long Egyptian supply vessel that sank in 1957, and the Numidia, a cargo ship carrying locomotive spare parts to India, lie on the walls of the Big Brother. Both are covered in a rich growth of soft and hard corals. Marine life includes a family of Napoleon Wrasse and Grey Reef Sharks. Daedalus Reef, also part of the Marine Park, is a large, oval reef with a lighthouse and is the furthest offshore reef in the Egyptian Red Sea. Its deep walls and drop-offs offer some of the most spectacular diving to be found. Daedalus has mountainous, pristine, hard coral formations.

There is also a strong chance of spotting schooling Hammerheads, and grey reef sharks. Elphinstone, with its shear walls covered in soft corals, offers a likely encounter with Grey Reef Sharks circling on the plateaux and even Oceanic White Tip Sharks can be seen here for most of the year.

• Nitrox diver
• Deep Specialty
• Shark Specialty

Flights, Air/ Tanks/ Weights/ Accommodation (Full Board on board Blue Horizon } and 6 days  diving, 3 dives a day.