The SS Turkia was built by Earles Shipbuilding and Engineering Co. in Hall (England) in 1909. The steam cargo ship named Livorno, with a length of 91m and a width of 13m, and 1671 tons, was used for a variety of trade routes in England and Northern Europe. Between 1920 and 1935, the ship was sold to Greece, and they named it SS Turkia. In May 1941, the SS Turkia was on its way from New York to Piräus. The government cargo included explosives, gyres, coils of wire, ingots, vehicles, and firearms. Close to the Channel of Suez, it sank cause to two different stories: fire on board and/or hit by a bomb. At a depth between 10m and 24m, full of soft and hard corals, it is a great experience for divers to discover the Wreck from outside and inside.

The SS Thistlegorm is probably the most famous wreck in the Red Sea. The British cargo ship was on its way to bring military equipment of all kinds for the British troops in North Africa. But then, on the 6th of October 1941, a German bomber attacked the Thistlegorm. The wreck is lying upright on the sea bottom at 32m. Especially interesting is the cargo: Tanks, trucks, motorcycles, weapons, a railway carriage, and two railway engines.

Starting from the North on the Eastern side of the Sinai Peninsula are the Straits of Tiran, also one of the most famous diving areas in the Red Sea. Situated in the middle of the straits are four coral reefs: Gordon, Thomas, Woodhouse, and Jackson Reef. The Gordon Reef is marked by the wreck of a large commercial freighter. The reef composition is quite varied, with patchy sections, sand beds, and full-fledged coral gardens. In the center of the reef slope, a shark amphitheater or bowl dips to 24m; with luck, a variety of shark species can be seen sleeping on the sandy bottom. The site boasts a very good range of corals, with lots of branching varieties. All of the corals are well preserved, in densely grown patches that often show a remarkable mix of different species. Fish life is not the most profuse in the Straits of Tiran, but there are some notable surprises, including a huge moray eel with a body as thick as a small diver's waist. Trigger fish abound while surgeons and jacks swim in moderately large schools, and angels, parrot fish, and small wrasse are all present in good numbers. Large Napoleon's wrasse can often be seen along the reef.

The Thomas Reef includes some plateau sections and a very deep canyon running along the reef’s southern section. It is the smallest of the four Tiran reefs. The reef’s upper section is a riot of color, encompassing some of the finest soft coral growth in the Sinai region. Huge, densely packed fields of Dendronephthya of every imaginable hue are spread across the reef, along with antler corals, fine Stylophora, some Acropora, and many other stony coral forms. Fish life is also rich, with the greatest concentration in the shallows. Lyretail cod and other groupers grow to great size, and many varieties of rabbit fish and wrasse congregate along the reef face, accompanied by box and puffer fish. The only reason to go deeper than 20m at Thomas Reef is to explore the canyon.

The Woodhouse Reef is a long, narrow reef running at an angle from northeast to southwest. Woodhouse is generally divided into a drift along the reef’s eastern side. Coral cover is excellent throughout the reef, with dense growth all over; there are a few sandy patches at depths of around 20m. Many species are present, but because of the sheltered position of the reef, away from the main current, a certain amount of sedimentation has affected the corals here. Pelagic fish, including big tuna and schools of jacks, fusiliers, snapper, surgeons, and unicorns, also school here, along with thousands of other reef fish.

On the northern edge of the Jackson Reef, the wreck of a grounded freighter stands as a warning to the shipping in the busy straits; most of its hull has been salvaged for scrap, leaving only a skeletal hulk. The steep-sided walls of Jackson Reef are among the finest in the Sinai region; the current-swept reef is densely grown with a real profusion of hard and soft corals, with special accents provided by luxuriant gorgonian fans, sea whips, and black corals, and vivid growths of soft coral. Fish life, not surprisingly, is excellent. The strong current brings plenty of nutrients for the reef and schooling fish; current and profile combine to tempt pelagic fish in from the open water, and large schools of barracuda and jacks are common here, as are larger predators, including several species of shark. The smaller reef species on which these pelagic visitors feed are profuse.
Midway between Sharm el-Sheik and Aqaba is Dahab, on a narrow stretch of coast but at the same time at the deepest and widest point in the Gulf. The reefs are mostly shallow down to about 20-30m, e.g. B. at Southern Oasis or the northern canyon. The canyon is not for everyone, though, as it features a deep fissure that starts at around 15m and has the deepest exit at around 50m. In between, there are only a few exit possibilities, so the dive goes in the direction of cave diving and must be planned. Exceptional fish can already be found in shallow water, sand, and scree up to a depth of around 10m, e.g. B. the well camouflaged Red Sea Walkman. The devil fish is one of the poisonous stone fish, so beware, dangerous. The harmless pygmy winged fishes, which are up to 8 cm in size, live in the 5-meter range, and they too are extremely difficult to spot. You can even reach excellent coral gardens in Dahab: in the north the national park is called Abu Galum, in the south Gabr al Bint is known for its hard corals and its groupers. But one place has made Dahab world famous: the Blue Hole. It is about 10 km north of the city and is a dark blue hole about 50-70 m in diameter and 120 m deep. Outside of the Blue Hole, however, the steep face is beautifully overgrown, and occasionally even large fish can be found. This drop-off can be reached through a reef crevice at a depth of about 7m The next breakthrough is only at 56m, again with a 26m long and a few meters wide arch, i.e., beyond our spot diver limit and only reserved for the Tekkies with their special gas mixtures.

Sample Itinerary

Day 1:

• As soon as you enter the arrival terminal, our transfer operator will welcome you with a Golden Dolphin Safari World sign. He will take care of your visa (stamp) and give you additional information about your transfer from the airport to the boat. During longer transfers, we provide a lunchbox and drinks.
• Check in onboard on the arrival day at 06:00 pm.

Day 2: 

• Leaving the marina before noon (by authority).

Day 3-9:

• 3-4 dives per day.

Day 10: 

• 2 dives, according to your departure time, 24 hours surface time recommended before flight, and back into the marina.
• Depending on the organization or for technical reasons, it is possible to accommodate our guests last night in a hotel.

Day 11:

• Check out and transfer back to the airport.

The last dive will be on the penultimate day of the trip. Divers are recommended to wait for 24 hours before flying after the last dive.

Sample itineraries and maps are for illustrative purposes only, and the exact route and sites visited may change based on local regulations, guest experience, weather, and logistics, at the Captain’s discretion.