Water Temp - 23-28 degrees C
Experience Level - Itermediate - Advanced

Diving in the Sudan is widely regarded as the best in the Red Sea and indeed rates as one of the top destinations worldwide. It’s not hard to see why:- Big Fish, Wrecks, Vibrant Hard and Soft Corals, Walls, Plateaus, and fish of every colour, size and description are found beneath the warm clear waters. And yet this area compared to other top destinations is still visited by few divers. The variety within a small area is remarkable. On sandy plateaus it is not unusual to see Grey sharks cruising among ”bommies” dripping with soft corals, giant groupers, schooling barracuda, hump head parrot fish and a turtle or two ALL AT ONCE. Schooling Hammerheads, Manta feeding stations, historic and wartime wrecks, picturesque caves and close encounters with reef sharks can all be experienced on a 7 night liveaboard out of Port Sudan.\


Itineraries

Sudan Discovery - 7 nights
Departing from Port Sudan we head north stopping at Sha’ab Suedi for the popular Blue Belt wreck before continuing beyond the weekly range of most of the other dive boats to dive Qita el Banna, Angarosh, Abington and Merlo in the northern reaches of the itinerary. During Manta season (September to early Novemeber) we also include a half day excursion to Mesharifa to snorkel with the feeding mantas. As we turn back to the south we stop at Sha’ab Rumi for the breath taking southern plateau and Cousteau’s Conshelf experiment. The final leg of the safari puts us at Sanganeb Atoll and Wingate reef for the world famous Umbria wreck. A usual day onboard will be 3 day dives and a night or dusk dive.

Sudan Expedition - 14 nights
This 2 week itinerary gives us the perfect opportunity to dive all the key sites found in the 1 week ‘Discovery’ safari to the north of Port Sudan more intensely as well as diving some of the lesser known or unknown sites in the region. Given favourable conditions it is possible to push further north then on the 1 week Discovery safari and dive some of the truly remote reefs found in the no mans land of northern Sudan. Given the remoteness and the intensity of the diving a no diving half day ‘degas’ is built into the middle of the safari. A usual day onboard will be 3 day dives and a night or dusk dive.

Sudan Frontier - 7 nights
As more of this wonderful country becomes accessible to tourism it becomes necessary to venture further off the beaten track to get that true frontier experience. This is what this itinerary is about. 60 miles to the south of Port Sudan lay the Suakin (Sawakin) Group of islands. Due to the difficulty in getting there (and back) this group of reefs and islands remains largely undived. Like St John’s in the southern Red Sea of Egypt, most of the islands and reefs are deep-water pinnacles which mean they are perfect locations for possible sightings of large pelagic animals. Hindi Gidir, Jibna, Shaab Anbar, Leary, Pinnacola, Protector are just some of the reefs that promise some spectacular diving in this region of the Sudanese Red Sea. With Sanganeb and the Umbria so close to Port Sudan we usually drop in for a couple of dives either on the way out or back. Given the distances between dive sites and the night moorings it may not always be possible to do 3 day dives and a night/dusk dive. Some days will only be 2 day dives and a night/dusk dive.

Sudan Frontier - 14 nights
The best of both worlds. A 2 week itinerary combining the best of the north and south. From the Suakin Archipelago to the south of Port Sudan to Angarosh to the north. Starting from Port Sudan we head south to the Suakin Archipelago and dive the deep water pinnacle reefs within the archipelago. Given 2 weeks diving and few time constraints the itinerary becomes a living beast and is aimed to follow where the diving is most active. Given the distances required to travel on some days of the itinerary it may not always be possible to do 3 day dives and a night/dusk dive. Some days will only be 2 day dives and a night/dusk dive. Once again a no diving half day ‘degas’ day is built into the middle of the safari.

We have provided some information about some of the many diving areas below, if you would like any more information or are ready to make a booking please call us on 0800 0728221 or email travel@scuba.co.uk.

The Umbria
Wingate reef is just 35 minutes out of Port Sudan and is the resting place of the Umbria, arguably the Red Sea's most photogenic wreck. Scuttled by the Italian crew in 1940, to avoid capture by the British, she was enroute to Calcutta, via Eritrea, with a mixed cargo including over 350,000 bombs. She was also carrying tyres,wine and 3 Fiat Lagunas, all of which she took to the bottom with her. This 150m long wreck is supported by coral pinnacles at a max depth of 24m over on her port side, her starboard davits just breaking the surface. The funnel & mast have long since collapsed and lifeboats are scattered on the seabed around her. The holds are open and easily entered, experienced wreckers willbe overjoyed with the labyrinth of corridors and stairwells whilst coral lovers will be impressed with the superb array of hard and soft corals, nudibranchs, clearer shrimps and differing fish species that have now made the Umbria home

Sanganeb
Sanganeb is found about one and a half hours north of Port Sudan. This Atoll rises from 500+m deep to the surface. There is a manned British built lighthouse towering 50m above the reef and divers and non-divers can enjoy a tour to the top to take photos of the glorious reef below. It is only 257 steps to the top! The Southwest plateau on Sanganeb is a fabulous dive with arguably some of the best soft corals you are likely to see. The plateau is alive with a huge variety of fish life, schooling Jack and Barracuda are common and the resident grey reef sharks tend to buzz those that move quietly, giving you the perfect opportunity to snap that close up shot as curiosity brings them in. Through March to June the reef comes alive with the mating Grouper and Triggerfish with huge numbers populating the reef looking for likely mates with the Triggerfish building crater size nests and protecting them fiercely. Hammerhead, Silky and Oceanic Whitetips have been spotted hear as well as Manta but it is more common to see the larger pelagic species on the northern tip of the reef. The North plateau is an outstanding dive although potentially quite dangerous. Exposed to the prevailing northerly wind and possible strong currents this dive can be a demanding dive and only accessible on calmer days. This is a deep dive with a lower plateau at 45m where Hammerheads are common and it is possible to see them schooling. There is a resident school of Humphead Parrotfish that patrol the shallow water and it is normal to see Grey Reef Sharks, White tips and schools of Barracuda and Jacks.

Sha'ab Rumi
Sha’ab Rumi is the signature site of Sudan. Made famous by Jacques Cousteau’s Precontinent experiment and the accompanying film Le Monde Sans Soleil (The world without Sun)Shaab Rumi is one of those sites you can just dive and dive again. 25 miles North East from Port Sudan the reef has a ledge plateau running along the western side at 10 – 15m, home to the Precontinent Experiment and a world class southern plateau. In 1963, Jacques Cousteau ran his Conshelf II (Precontinent)Underwater Living experiments here and 8 men spent a month living underwater. Forty years on you can still swim amongst the remains of his village. Just a dark shadow from the boat, once underwater you begin to make out an onion-shaped structure standing on three legs. This is the submarine's steel hangar, still airtight divers bubbles have created an airpocket inside. Other debris include the remains of the tool shed, the Aquarium and a shark cage all now delicately encrusted Jaques Garagewith corals. This dive is a shallow dive along the western wall of the reef. Apart from the historically interesting remains of the Precontinent the reef itself is absolutely stunning with every conceivable coral species fighting for a foothold on the narrow ledge. The South Plateau is a world class dive, a sloping plateau running from 20 to 30m surrounded by deep wall drop-offs this plateau is home to large schools of Barracuda and Jacks, Grey and Whitetip reef sharks, huge grouper and triggerfish and if you can get through the clouds of Antheas Sharks!you may be able to see the wonderous varieties of hard and soft corals. Through the colder months Hammerheads can be found here schooling in the currents off the southern tip. Large Humphead Parrotfish can be seen and in the early morning dives it is possible to hear and sometimes see the dominant males settling the hierarchy dispute by clashing their boney heads together sending shockwaves right through you.

Sha'ab Su'adi & the Blue Belt Wreck
Thought to have been smuggling from Saudi Arabia, the cargo ship Blue Belt missed a passage through the reef and struck Sha'ab Suedi in December 1977, 50 miles north of Port Sudan. She lies upturned at right angles to the reef her bow is on the sand at 18m and the stern at 70m plus. Loaded with cars, trucks, tractors and spares she's known locally as the Toyota wreck. Remains of vehicles are scattered on the seabed around the wreck and make for some interesting rummaging and unique photo opportunities.

Angarosh
This triangular shaped reef is surrounded on all sides by deep drop-offs. Off the southern tip protrudes a 2 tier plateau and 30m and 40m. This reef is famous for Hammerheads with a high probability of seeing them off the deeper plateau. The shallower plateau is home to Barracuda and Jacks and the occasional Whitetip. Strong currents usually run over the plateaus feeding the superb coral growth.

Abington
Marked by a lighthouse this reef only just breaks the surface. Steep drop-offs on three sides while on the southeastern side coral gardens offer some lovely diving with good light. Reef sharks are common there's also the chance of an occasional manta and Hammerhead along the southern wall

Merlo
An unusual egg shaped reef, Merlo has a northern plateau with a fabulous coral mound rising from the plateau floor at 24m to 6m covered in hard and soft corals. Like the neighbouring reefs of Angarosh and Abington Merlo is a pinnacle reef rising off the sea floor hundreds of metres below. On the Southeast corner or bottom curve of the ‘egg’ a 20m deep ledge follows the reef plate around. This ledge is covered in brilliant white sand with gorgeous coral patches. The sand reflects the light making the dive seem somewhat surreal. Towards the end of the dive in the shallows Mushroom corals tumble down from the surface and look like the roof tops of some Alpine mountain village. Huge Tuna and massive yellow tail Barracuda patrol the waters just off the ledge. What remains of a live aboard dive boat called "Freedom" can be seen high and dry on the reef after coming to grief due to a navigation mistake in 1999. Within a few days all the valuable things were gone.

Mesharifa
North of the small island of Mukawar lies the area of Mesharifa. This site is renowned for Mantas with a particularly high probability of sightings between September and December. Mesharifa lies at the mouth of Dunganeb Bay and is a shallow (8-10m) area with sandbars and small islands rising up from the bottom. Around these obstacles currents carry nutrient rich water to the mouths of the waiting Manta. The Manta here spend their time sunning themselves on the surface lulling in the gentle currents. It is here that it is possible to snorkel and come face to face with one of these wonderful creatures. As long as you don’t get too close the Manta are quite content to stay where they are and will sometimes swim up to you to see exactly who they are sharing their feeding ground with. Be warned, snorkeling with Manta is an intoxicating experience!