This is a 'quickie' post as we only got back to the UK late last night but as the week was extraordinarily successful it derserved a few immediate words.The Tornado Fleet "M.Y. Whirlwind" provided us with an excellent platform , with the largest cabins (with separate 'en-suite' showers), the best and most varied food and most spacious dive deck I have experienced in my Red Sea liveaboard travels. With Nitrox 'on-tap' and sufficient spare & large (15L) cylinders to meet every need, a Course Director (Thomas) and another instructor (Susie) as 'resident' tour guides and a caring crew we were almost guaranteed the wonderful time that we had.
Special thanks to Shiela for doing all the organising. Organising dive trips is often , if not always, a lot of work , trying to accommodate everyones personal preferences and can sometimes be a very thankless task. So well done Shiela for seing it through and bringing it off so well. We had a truly harmonious trip and really enjoyed the company of five divers who we had not before (Justin, Chris, Alan , Mick & John) . Everyone got on superbly well. The week was something of a record-breaker for those of us who have been on a number of previous liveaboards in the Red Sea, twenty-two dives were offered and many of us (the newly formed "22 Club") did them all! Twenty-two dives in a week can be quite tiring especially with the morning briefings at 6.30am! So it was even more credit to those on board who had constant smiles on their faces. We all made some new friends this week.
All the usual wreck suspects were on the intinerary, the Carnatic, the Gubal Island Barge, the Dunraven, the Kingston (aka Sarah H) , the Ulysees, the Ghiannis D , the Chrisoula K, the Thilstlegorm and the Rosalie Moller. We also dived many reefs and on all the Tiran Island Reefs (Thomas, Gordon, Woodhouse & Jackson).
Literally thousands of photographs were taken and no doubt a few will be posted on this blog (lets' not forget the 2009 MD photo competition) as soon as we can all check them through and add posts & comments. There will be a Red Sea Trip Debrief at which there will be a 'photo-share' and , hopefully, a showing of the 'official' trip video!
Please post, add photos & comment at will! There is so much more to say & show! And, to our new dive buddies, check the blogs header (top of screen) to see how the comment process works!
For now, thank you to all who came for making it such a special week.
Small Summary of Own Dives:~
22 Dives Completed on Trip (of which 12 were Wreck Dives)
1082 minutes (18hrs & 2 mins) underwater
Average Dive Time 49 minutes (Max allowed time: 45mins for night dives, 60mins for others)
11 comments:
Well said Chris thanks to all for great company and top diving.Just popping out to buy myself a nice big boat.
So Glad you all had a good time and Soooo jealous I couldnt go
Nice pics Chris lookforward to seeing everyones pics and vids
Thank you to Sheila for all the organisation, and to everyone for a great week: good company and lovely diving. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and would definitely recommend the Tornado fleet!
Many thanks to Sheila for fantastic organisation - everything went very smoothly. And thank you to the group for a great week: we really enjoyed the company and the diving was an added bonus! Will definitely be recommending the Tornado fleet. Hope to see some of our new friends down to dive from the Sussex coast.
We would also like to add our thoughts of a wonderful week it turned out to be. Good company and great diving. The boat and crew and everybodies company made this an extra special trip which will be talked about and remembered for a long time.
We are so pleased that everything went so well and can't wait until the next one!
Ernie & Sheila
I’d like to add my comments too, although they’re pretty much the same as everyone else’s, i.e. brilliant trip and great company! I particularly enjoyed being a voyeur on the dive deck but having checked it out in the dictionary perhaps I should refer to myself more as an observer!
Looking forward to seeing everyone soon and thanks again to Sheila for all the organisation.
Thanks to all Meridian divers on the trip. Really enjoyed myself, good diving and good comany. Look forward to seeing you again
Thanks to all Meridian divers on the trip. Really enjoyed myself, good diving and good comany. Look forward to seeing you again
Welcome aboard Mick. If you can make the debrief on 6th May that would be great, we are hoping to share photos at that session.
I'd also like to add my thanks - especially to Mandy for looking after me that first day and to Ernie and Trez for keeping a close eye on me on those dives I actually managed to do! Let me know when the next one booked - hopefully I'll be signed off fit!
Red sea has become a divers paradise as it offers some of the most beautiful and adventurous diving experience. One need's calm seas in order to get to the Chrisoula K wrecksite. The main part of the ship lies in a fairly upright position at the bottom of the reef, while the stern has keeled over almost completely onto its starboard side.
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