So, just booked a trip to Egypt...

Will be heading to Egypt in spring of 2009 for a week of land tour and then a week of liveaboard diving.

Any tips or advice regarding the Emperor Elite? This is a group trip booked with our LDS, so don't have a choice of boats (we're taking two boats in fact there's so many of us.)

As a group we'll be nominating our choices for itineraries, so appreciate any insights or thoughts on musn't miss dive sites. (As wreck divers, we've already got the Thistlegorm or the list.)

Ray

Emperor Divers has just been nominated the violator of the month (February 2008).

News from HEPCA:
Emperor Divers have long been one of the biggest supporters of HEPCA, not to mention one of HEPCA’s founding members, and recognized worldwide as setting the standards of best practice in matters of environmental awareness. The nomination of Emperor Divers for HEPCA’s Violator of the Month is therefore not an easy one. HEPCA has been shocked to receive at least 10 reports over the last two months of major violations committed by boats and staff of the Emperor Fleet. These violations include anchoring and littering within National Park boundaries, failure to observe the new regulations regarding visits to the wreck of the SS Thistlegorm (currently undergoing much-needed conservation work) and finally disregarding the new mooring system in place at the wreck.
Despite Emperor Divers’ illustrious history and well-known commitment as a company to environmental issues, these violations show that no company, no matter how large or well regarded, is immune to those lacking respect for their environment. Furthermore, the dismissive attitude of some Emperor Divers staff members is both unjustifiable and destructive.
We expect the wise leadership of Emperor Divers to take all necessary measures to ensure that these violations will never again be repeated.
Violator of the Month is an initiative taken by HEPCA on regular basis along other legal violation procedures.

There are a lot of Brits that dive that area. The guys at Yorkshire Divers - Dive Forums are very helpful.

Apologies to the board master for directing traffic away from his site.

MBBP

Then here's the link on YD:

http://www.yorkshire-divers.com/forums/surface-interval/67409-violator-month.html

Further news:


HEPCA would like to thank Emperor Fleet for its swift, serious and professional actions on receiving notice of their nomination as Violator of the Month. HEPCA is pleased to be working closely with Emperor to ensure that the alleged violations are not repeated and that all staff are reminded of the importance of awareness of environmental issues and regulations. Furthermore HEPCA and Emperor have discussed ways of improving communications.
The management of Emperor Fleet initiated a meeting with Amr Ali, Managing Director of HEPCA, on 19th February 2008. They stressed the commitment of Emperor to environmental protection and the need to deal severely with any staff who contravene local regulations. A consultative meeting took place the following day between HEPCA and the captains of the Emperor Fleet. HEPCA would like to thank the staff, captains and crew of the Emperor Fleet for their many beneficial suggestions offered during this meeting.
Finally, HEPCA is delighted to announce that all Emperor Fleet captains will join the HEPCA Volunteer Red Sea Ranger Initiative. Under this new scheme, dive centres or organisations nominate a person or persons responsible for noting and reporting any environmental violations, and liaising with HEPCA.
HEPCA look forward to continued working with Emperor and all diving operators to safeguard the Red Sea and ensure its sustainability for the future.

Emperor Fleet is one of the biggest diving centers in Sinai or even in the Middle East. They are very conservative in diving and in there procedures. I am not saying that Red Sea Shadow is wrong about there violations, and they used to be better than this. But they are still one of the biggest diving centers. I will send you couple of links of diving centers. These diving centers I trust them, because I dove with them before. These diving centers are
Red Sea Diving College - Sharm el Sheikh: PADI 5 Star CDC specializedin scuba diver training
Diving Sharm el Sheikh Dahab Hurghada Sinai Red Sea Egypt
Red Sea Diving Holiday Hotel, Camel Dive Club, Sharm El Sheikh.
and of course
Red Sea Diving with Emperor - dive resorts, liveaboards and courses

Check them out and if you have any second thoughts now is the right time.

Try the Blue O Two boats - they are superb (I am going on Blue Horizon in July). And the Tornado Marine Fleet have a nice fleet too (I was on Whirlwind in December). That said, I was on Emperor Superior in August and it was a sweet boat too.

If you guys want to do the Thistlegorm, then you are looking at a northern safari, as in one week, it will be difficult to combine the offshore marine parks off the Brothers and Dadaelous with the wrecks. I think, if I am correct, there is one itinerary which features the Brothers, the wrecks at Abu Nuhas and the Thistlegorm, but that is going to involve a lot of travelling.

I'd go for a traditional northern wreck tour, which will take in the Thistlegorm, the Rosalie Moller, the wrecks of Abu Nuhas (Chrisoula K, Carnatic and Giannis D) and the Dunraven, plus the mega-wall at Ras Mohammed.

You will have a blast diving in Egypt - I have made over 30 trips there in the last nine years.

Mark

Having lived in the Middle East for the past four years, I can say that like anywhere else, you have great, good, and bad. I can honestly recommend Ocean College Divers, who have boats and site up and down the coast. The Naama Bay group are particular favorites of mine. They are very conscientious, sound diving practices, well informed about the area, and they give 1st rate dive trips. They are also easy to book online. If you book online, you can save a good bit of money also.
Camel Divers in Naama Bay were also a good trip. The hotel is terrific, gear care is sharp, and the bar is fantastic after the day's and night's dives. You have to really go there to get a feel for it the first time. Once you learn about the area first hand you will be hooked back over and over. Don't forget your camera above and below the surface!
DeeDee in Kuwait