Red Sea Liveaboard Oct 2025 - Lisa

Diving the Red Sea – First liveaboard experience on The Ghazala Adventure Northern Wrecks and Reefs 

When the opportunity to go on a liveaboard trip to Egypt presented itself, I didn’t hesitate.  As an ocean diver I didn’t have the necessary qualifications to join this trip, but I did have enough time to get “liveaboard” ready.  The winter months of 2024 were spent with David McQuillan learning the theory for AOD followed by an early Spring trip to Lanzarote to take the open water elements of AOD, allowing me to fully sign up for the Red Sea Trip. 

October 2025 couldn’t come quick enough for me.  We didn’t quite fill the boat so there were a few extra spaces to be filled.  I was delighted to see that we would be joined by some other divers from Ireland (fondly known now as “The Irish”) on this trip.  Peter, another seasoned diver joined the ranks too and we now had a full boat of divers.  Along with the best crew and dive guides ever we set off for the trip of a lifetime on the Red Sea. 

I had great expectations of this liveaboard trip and was keen to see what all the hype was about.  I knew that there would be reefs and wrecks on the dive trip (the clue to that was in the title) but the reality surpassed all my expectations.  The reefs were glorious – alive with shoals of fish of all sizes and the colours.  The textures and shapes of the corals were beyond my imagination.  They were as alive, colourful and varied as the fish.  The wrecks were all quite different, some more challenging than others.  The most anticipated being The Thistlegorm – a treasure trove of war artifacts sitting below our boat waiting to be explored.  I had watched the videos on YouTube, but nothing could prepare your brain for the actual experience.  I can now say that I have penetrated The Thistlegorm! And I bought a t-shirt to prove it. 

A few dives involved getting to the dive site by zodiac/rib.  Diving off the rib was fun – first time for a negative entry - but getting back on again after a dive was difficult. Diving on a shot line was a lot easier- until you miss it and the current has a go at taking you away!   I find it amusing seeing a line of divers hanging off the shot line at the safety stop going back to the boat.   

The Ghazala Adventure liveaboard was first class.  The accommodation - main lounge and dining area were comfortable and spacious, and the cabins were also roomy and bright.  It didn’t feel cramped at all.  The dive platform was excellent with lots of room for divers to get their kit on and get ready for diving.  The crew were on hand to help us into and out of our dive gear before and after each dive.  They really couldn’t do enough to help us.   

The dive guides were knowledgeable and experienced, and I felt very comfortable with them. Their briefings were thorough and designed to give maximum information about the dive site, any challenges it might pose and what to do if a problem occurred.  One of the guides – Tarek - went above and beyond for me during the trip and treated me like his own personal pupil on the dives.  Tarek did a lot to boost my confidence and develop my diving skills.  Thanks Tarek! 

This dive holiday will be difficult to surpass.  All my future dive holidays may struggle to compete with it.  Special thanks to my fellow Mid Herts Divers, and non-divers, for their encouragement and faith.  The advice, hints and tips that I was given along the way helped a lot too.   

Favourite Reef Dive: Jackson’s Reef. A gentle drift dive which lasted for 60 minutes with an average depth of 14 metres.  The clownfish and their nurseries were the highlight of that dive for me.   

Favourite Wreck Dive: Giannis D. This wreck is a more modern wreck from the 1980’s which is set at a 45-degree angle.  Diving it can be a bit trippy but great fun.  I found a nudibranch too! 

Favourite Buddy: That’s my little secret!