Travel Information A till Z

Safaris .... good to know ...
New boats, new rules – but everybody should know which rules! To prevent unpleasant surprises during the safari, we listed the most important information and rules for the diving safari on the following pages.

Additional Diving Equipment
Additional to the normal equipment absolute necessary for each diver is:
- Diving Computer and Sparecomputer
- Emergency Buoy
- Medical statement (maximum 1 year old)
- Logbook
- Brevets
- Regulator with Octopus
- One Torch per Buddy Team at every day dive
- Diving accident insurance
Urgently we need a Copy of your Passport !!!!!!!

Who is coming without the necessary document can be excluded from the diving or the whole safari.

Bathrooms
Please reduce soap consumption,because the waste water will go directly into the sea. Maybe you can look for soap which is 100% biodegradable before you start with the safari. Please don’t throw anything into the toilets (even no Paper). You will find special containers for it. Otherwise we will have a blocking problem of the pipes (to fix this problem during the safari is almost impossible) and also the paper will disturb the diving pleasure.

Beverages
During the safari you will find Tea, Coffee and Water for free the whole time. You can buy cold Soft drinks and beer at the bar. (prices on board since August 2003: Beer 2 Euro, bottle Wine 10 Euro, Cola/Fanta 0,5 Euro). It is forbidden to drink Alcohol between the dives.

Buildingsite and noise pollution in the harbour Marsa Ghalib
The harbour in Marsa Ghalib is since 2004 under construction. It will be finished in Summer 2005. Because of this there is sometimes noise pollution and dust pollution. We try to use only the land Electricity on our boats, so that you don't have the noise pollution of the generators. But sometimes even this is not possible. Please understand that we are not able to remedy this abuses.

Cabins
Each Cabin has portholes. We recommend to open them as often as possible,in order to renew the air in the cabin,because the air-condition only uses the available, and so no fresh air circulation will result in the cabin. Please make sure that each porthole is closed during the drive.

Climate and Clothes
A dry Desert climate is normal for the region of the Red Sea. Especially in the summer you can expect around 35 degrees during the day. In the wintertime it becomes cold in the evenings and even during the day it is sometimes useful to have a warm pullover. Don’t forget a protection against the wind for your ears.

Contribution to nature reserve
Abstract from the law of environment
1. Hunting, fishing, collecting of corals, shells and other marine life is strictly forbidden.
2.Throwing of any waste into the sea (rubbish, oil, fat) is forbidden.
3. It is general forbidden to anchor in protected areas.
4.Feeding fish and birds is forbidden.
5. Using gloves for divers is forbidden in general.
6. It is forbidden to walk on the reefs and over corals.
... For the first offence there is a penalty of 10.000 LE or jail for a period of one year...
... For the second offence there is a penalty of 20.000 LE or jail for...
... Also work will not be permitted for a limited period of time for the responsible captain and dive guide. No permission for the boat for a limited time... The maximum dive depth by law is 30 m!

Diving Accident
For the Emergency Case there is on board a 50 liter Oxygen Tank with Mask and a First- Aid-Kit. Since 01.01.05 by law, every diver must have an international Decompression insurance. If you don't have one you can get a Decompression Insurance on the boats, which is valid for 3 weeks and costs 6,- Euro.

Electricity
You will have 24 hours 220 Volt alternating current on board. On the diving deck there is a charge station for torch and cameras. Cave: Automatic-chargers are cause for variation in the voltage not optimal.

Health
On board there is only a little store of medicaments. Please take with you some own medicaments especially against problem with stomach, seasickness and ears. Make sure before, that these medicaments are tolerated while diving.
Language
The crew on board speaks English. Our Dive guides are German, Italian or Egyptian with a good knowledge of the English language.

Languages
The crews speak English and our Dive Guides are Europeans. They speak English and German.


Marinepark
Nightdiving is forbidden in the Marinpark area. To step on the islands Zabagad and Rocky is not allowed.

Nitrox and Rebreather Dolphin Diving
If you would like to dive with Nitrox or the Rebreather Dolphin, or you want to join a Nitrox or Rebreather course, you have to inform us 14 days before your departure by writing. The payment will be on board.

Payments on board
All prices on board are shown in Euro. Please take enough cash money with you. Therefore we recommend Euro. Foreign currency exchange rate on board might not be in your favor. Payments with Credit cards is determined. Credit cards ( Visa and Master ) can only be accept, if we could check the value of the card before.

Prerequisite for Divingsafaris
To join one of our diving safaris you must be a certified diver with at least 30 logged dives for the safaris north, south and St. Johns and 50 logged dives for all the Marinepark routings.The last dive should not be done than one year ago. In case of unqualified divers, our dive guides are allowed to forbid certain dives for them or they can change the routing to a routing which is adjusted to their experience and training.

Rental Equipment and Spare parts
On board there is no rental equipment. We recommend if you need equipment or parts of it to order it at least 14 days befor depature with us. To get equipment in a short period is nearly impossible. Also you should have the most important spare parts for your equipment like strips for mask and fins and a repair kit for the regulator. Also, don’t forget batteries, films and light bulbs for the torches.

Safety Equipment
On board are Lifejackets and Life rafts (self inflate system). In all cabins, in the saloon and in the engine room there are Fire-Extinguishers for Emergency-Cases. You will have an introduction to the Safety-System when you arrive at the boat.

Salon
Please don’t wear wet Diving- or Swimming clothes, because the furniture hardly dry due to high humidity.

Shoes
Wearing shoes is forbidden in the salon and the cabins. Outside it is allowed to wear light sailing or beach shoes.

Sleeping on deck
it is not allowed to take pillows, blankets or mattresses out of the cabin. If you like to sleep outside on deck please bring your own sleepingback and use the sunmattress.

Smoking on board
In all closed rooms smoking is strictly forbidden. For your safety there are on board Fire Alarm-systems, which are very sensitive to any smoke. Outside, please use the ashtray, don’t throw the buds into the sea. The cigarette filters will stay and decorate the reef for years and some Zodiacs became victims from cigarettes which have been thrown away without any thinking.

Tip
Especially in Egypt the people expect “Bakschisch”. To prevent discussion about the amount of the tip we recommend 20 Euro per week and person. But anyway…the tip is always voluntarily.

Tour description
At the arrival day you will check in on the boat, depature from the harbour will be in the next morning, 6 days on sea with 2- 4 dives per day depending on the schedule and the weather..., on the last day 2 dives. Back to the harbour one day befor depature day around 3:00pm. Transfer to the airport on depature day.
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We reserve the right to accommodate our guests on the last night in a hotel, due to organizational or engineering reasons.<o:p></o:p>

Transfer
Your assigned tour leader will pick you up at the airport.He/she will be holding a sign which reads the boats name.
We reserve the right to accommodate our guests on the last night in a hotel, due to organizational or engineering reasons.

In any case
If you have any questions or problems on your diving safari please inform the crew or the dive guide. They are looking forward to help you in any case.

Deep Blue Cruises Hurghada / Red Sea Tel. +20-10-1712004 or: +20-10-1712005