It’s safe to say I lost track of how many bowls of Egyptian rice pudding I devoured during those two weeks of Egypt liveaboard trip. At some point, I stopped counting—not out of restraint, but because I didn’t want to know. What I do know is this: that creamy, dreamy dessert has skyrocketed to the top of my favorites list.
Funny to think that when I boarded my flight to Hurghada, “Egyptian rice pudding” was as unfamiliar to me as… well, Egypt itself. Little did I know, the pudding was just the beginning of the surprises this trip had in store. So, get ready as I try to wrap my head (and words) around the wild, wonderful, and occasionally wobbly experience of my first liveaboard diving adventure with Clidive!
The Firsts and the Fidgets
Despite joining the club 1.5 years ago, this was my very first Clidive trip. Why the delay? Well, I’ll admit it: I’m a warm-water diva. So when Egypt liveaboard popped onto the calendar, I didn’t hesitate for a second. That said, I was a nervous wreck. It wasn’t just my first Clidive trip—it was my first liveaboard, my first visit to Egypt, my first group holiday since 2017 because I’m a perpetual solo traveller, and my first time being surrounded by so many experienced divers as a self-proclaimed newbie. Cue the brain asking all the questions:
- “Will I get seasick?”
- “What if my cabin mate snores?”
- “What if I snore?”
- “What if I break an unspoken rule of BSAC divers?”
- “What if the boat catches fire?” (Spoiler: it didn’t)
- And many many more but you got the gist!
To decompress before the adventure began, I arrived in Hurghada three days early, seeking some sun, sea, and solo time. My first morning there, I sprinted to the rooftop to catch my first glimpse of the Red Sea—and wow. That mesmerizing blue, amplified by the golden sand, took my breath away. I couldn’t wait to jump in!
By Friday night, Lucie arrived, and over a beer, I confessed my beginner anxieties. She kindly offered to join me for the check dive, and my nerves instantly eased. On Saturday, we met the rest of the group, and soon, it was time to board Hero, our home for the week.
17th November 2024 – The first day of our Egypt liveaboard
First things first: check your weighting! Our check dive was shallow, 12 meters, with a sandy seabed and sprinkles of coral. The Red Sea’s saltiness is no joke, and I was armed with a 15L aluminum tank as the majority of us (Well, some had way more than that!), so I piled on extra kilos like a kid piling toppings on a sundae. Turns out, I’d underestimated my gym gains because I sank like a rock. Whoops! A quick adjustment and I was back to floating.
It was an easy dive. The water temperature was 26°C and after some deliberation about wetsuits I decided to use a shorty, and Lucie kindly lent me diving leggings. It was a wonderful example of club camaraderie. Just a shame that in the end, I left them hanging on the side of the Hero to dry and forgot—oh well!
My buoyancy wasn’t quite dialed in yet, but eight months off diving will do that. Despite my nerves, the sea’s magic started working. Anxiety: 50% down. Confidence: creeping up.
The afternoon dive took us to the Salem Express, a colossal passenger ferry that tragically sank in 1991, taking the lives of over 500 people—though estimates suggest the true number may have been far higher. She rests at 30 meters.
This was my first “serious” wreck dive, and anxiety crept back in as we descended. The Salem Express loomed out of the murky blue—a massive, ghostly presence. The sheer size of the wreck was overwhelming, as was the number of divers swarming around it.
The scene felt chaotic. Divers in dark wetsuits flitted in every direction. At one point, I looked around and realized I’d lost sight of my guide and my buddy. My thoughts raced: Focus! What did they wear? Where’s Hero? How do I get back? The wreck itself added to the unease. Knowing the tragic history of the site—the lives lost not so long ago—gave it an eerie, almost sinister energy. It turned out that I didn’t really lose them, it was just a lot of divers around! I couldn’t shake the weight of it all and found myself longing to be back on Hero. After dinner I crawled into bed, completely drained.
That night, as we traveled toward the Brothers Islands, the boat quietly hummed through the dark waters, anchoring at around 11 PM. Susie and I watched the show our crew put together to moor the boat. The speed and skill—they were amazing! As for the nights on the boat—they were magical! The stars were absolutely mesmerizing, with the full Milky Way spreading across the sky until the moon made its grand entrance. It was an unforgettable experience, both above and below the water.
18th November 2024
The morning started sharp: knock on the door, coffee, and a dive briefing with one promise—sharks! The white-tip oceanic shark was the star of the day. Yep, you guessed it, my anxiety was back, haha. The plan: stay near the island wall at 20-25 meters, while others headed toward a deeper pinnacle at 40 meters. The dive led us further away from the wall than expected and then, it happened. Our guide gestured, “Look!” A shark glided above us, sleek and surreal.
As we were returning to the wall, another appeared on the left. Below, two Thresher sharks joined the show. Anxiety dissolved into pure excitement. At the safety stop, the highlight: a white-tip shark swam directly toward us. Close enough to spot the little fish around its nose, it felt like a scene from Jaws. Strangely, I wasn’t scared—just awestruck.
Back during the briefing I was imagining how I would react in such a situation and I thought I’d be terrified. But here and now, with this shark so close, I felt amazed! I wanted him closer, to connect as two beings sharing this planet. But he turned and disappeared, leaving me buzzing with gratitude. Sadly, the wide-lensed DJI camera didn’t do him any favour! But trust me, he was majestic!
Back on the boat, rice pudding breakfast was a win, followed by a relaxed dive with Ahmed along the wall while others explored the Numidia wreck. The afternoon took us to Little Brother, where the current helped us swim along the wall and brought huge schools of Lyretail Anthias.
The night was brutal. As we headed north, the sea grew rough, and the boat pitched wildly. Many were hit hard by seasickness, and my cabin became unbearable. Desperate for air, I ventured onto the deck. A kind crew member built me a bean bag bed behind the bar, where I finally drifted off under the stars, rocked by the chaos of the waves.
19th November 2024
Good morning! Coffee in hand, we kicked off the day with a dive briefing as always. First up: Yolanda and Shark Reefs in Ras Mohammed National Park, a location that promised stunning underwater landscapes. And wow, it truly delivered! Not only were the reefs amazing, but we also encountered two turtles that seemed completely unbothered by humans. They calmly enjoyed their breakfast as I captured my best turtle video yet. It was an extraordinary experience watching them up close, going about their day in such a peaceful way. It made for a truly memorable dive!
I skipped the second morning dive at the Dunraven wreck, saving energy for the afternoon’s big adventure: the legendary SS Thistlegorm – a dive that turned out to be both thrilling and eerie. The current can get strong, so we were repeatedly reminded to hold on tightly to the shot line running from our boat to the stern and another leading to the bow of the wreck. The currents around the Thistlegorm are known to shift dramatically, going from calm to intense within an hour.
I opted for a guided dive, and the plan was to explore the exterior due to the mild current at the time. But as luck would have it, by the time we were ready to enter the water, the current had picked up!
“We’re going in!” shouted our guide as we queued to jump in. I hadn’t planned to do my first wreck penetration! But as we began the descent, excitement quickly took over as always. Divers clung to the shot line while massive batfish hovered all around us. At one point, I spotted a bizarre fish that reminded me of a blobfish but much much bigger. I googled it afterward, but it must have been my imagination because it doesn’t seem to exist?!
The SS Thistlegorm itself was incredible. Once inside, the interplay of light and shadows in its rooms felt like a true adventure—like a proper exploration. We passed trucks, motorbikes, and so much more. It was quite something.
I was completely worn out after that dive, so I skipped the night dive on the Thistlegorm. It would have been my first night dive, and given the challenges of the day, I decided to hold off. Others told me later that the night dive was unique but crowded, with so many divers’ torches lighting up the wreck that it felt more like a daytime dive in the UK, which gave me a good laugh.
20th November 2024
The next morning began with coffee, a dive briefing, and another dive on the Thistlegorm. This time, the conditions were much calmer with no current. Unfortunately, a mix-up about whether to use the bow or stern shot line led to us losing some nitrox at the surface and having to ascend early. I still haven’t seen the bow—but no, it’s definitely not just an excuse to come back one day!
Next up was the deepest dive of the trip: the Rosalie Moller, resting upright with a maximum depth of 45-50m. I couldn’t join due to depth limits, but I’m sure it was incredible.
Later, we visited the shallow wreck of “The Barge” at Small Gubal Island, lying at around 12m. This was my first unguided dive—a huge milestone for me! Without a guide to rely on, I became much more mindful of my buddy role and the trust required between us. It’s a level of responsibility you rarely feel on typical holiday dives. At one point, we spotted divers gathered around an octopus. When we got closer, it treated us to an incredible display—walking, changing colors, and putting on a show! From this dive onward, I skipped guided dives entirely.
We also celebrated Amanda’s 50th dive with a delicious cake (though the chef spoiled us with sweets throughout the trip—I still don’t know how I squeezed into my wetsuit by the end!). Later, we took a zodiac to explore Small Gubal Island at sunset, playing in the dunes and enjoying a break on land.
That evening, I finally did my first night dive—and wow! The big morays we’d seen during the day were out hunting, their sinuous bodies illuminated by torchlight looked like dancing sea dragons. It was magical, though I’m not sure how much the “dragons” appreciated the attention.
21st November 2024
The day began with the usual routine: morning coffee, a dive briefing, and another dive at Small Gubal Island. We headed toward Bluff Point, hoping for a glimpse of dolphins, but luck wasn’t on our side. Still, it was a lovely dive, and I was thrilled to notice my buoyancy and confidence improving—it’s such a rewarding feeling. On our way, we also collected some rubbish, leaving the sea a little cleaner than we found it.
After breakfast, we moved on to a reef featuring four wrecks, where we dived the Giannis D and The Carnatic. Giannis D treated us with a big stone fish and The SS Carnatic was easily my favorite dive of the trip! A British steamship built in 1862-63, it’s absolutely magnificent. The wreck, adorned with glassfish, feels like an underwater cathedral—so magical and spectacular. I loved it so much; it made me feel like a child discovering something extraordinary!
For the night dive, we visited Sha’ab El Erg, also known as Dolphinhouse. This truly felt like a proper night dive—we didn’t encounter a single other diver as we explored the coral reef under the cover of darkness. It was peaceful, mysterious, and a perfect way to end the day.
22nd November 2024 – The last day of our Egypt Liveaboard
The morning began with coffee, a dive briefing, and a mission to search for dolphins in the channel between the reef and a small pinnacle. Dolphins often gather there for breakfast, drawn by the currents, but sadly, none showed up this time. We decided to circle the pinnacle, but it took much longer than expected. At one point, I started wondering if we’d stumbled upon an entirely new reef not marked on the map! It was then I realized how handy a diving compass would be—lesson learned! After the dive, I messaged my family to add one to my Christmas list.
Our final dive of the trip was the Miniya wreck, near Hurghada Marina. Having skipped three dives earlier in the week, I was eager to join, but this one fell short of expectations. The water quality wasn’t great due to its proximity to the city, the wreck itself was rather underwhelming, and we had the misfortune of encountering a large group of very disorganized divers. The safety stop turned into a chaotic scene—a less-than-ideal ending to the dive.
Afterward, we headed back to the marina for our final evening. It was bittersweet to wrap up such an unforgettable week of diving.
Extended Egypt trip
After the diving trip, I joined a group of eight for an extended adventure, starting with a journey to Luxor early on Saturday morning. We spent the afternoon exploring the majestic Karnak and Luxor temples, took a refreshing dip in a chilly Airbnb pool, and ended the day watching The Mummy movies—a perfect touch! Our guide treated us to some incredible falafel, sparking what became a full-blown obsession with the dish.
The next day was packed with history: the Valley of the Kings, the Hatshepsut Temple, and my favorite, the Temple of Medinet Habu. Its deeply carved reliefs and vibrant original colors were breathtaking. We were all amazed by the wealth of history and facts we learned throughout the day. That evening, we flew to Cairo, where I was lucky to glimpse the pyramids from the plane, though it was already dark. The full reveal came the next morning—and it was spectacular!
The pyramids were wondrous, as was the new Egyptian Museum, which had just opened. Being among the first visitors felt like a privilege. Our guide was exceptional, sharing fascinating insights about both ancient and modern dynasties. The next day, we explored Islamic Cairo, Coptic Cairo, indulged in even more falafel and rice pudding, and wrapped up the trip with some shopping in the bustling, colorful market. The group was fantastic—so much fun and camaraderie.
My first Clidive trip was incredible. I learned much about diving, Clidive members, and myself—and I hope I’ve made some new friends! It’s hard to believe it was only two weeks; it feels like a lifetime as I’m writing the first report draft on the plane back to London.
We were fortunate to have a smooth trip back. The rest of the group, who didn’t extend their trip, faced a travel nightmare: canceled flights, reroutes to random destinations, and some ending up in Manchester, only making it home Monday morning. We felt so sorry for them!
Amid the highs, we also received tragic news. The Sea Story, a boat we had encountered during our trip, capsized on the following Monday. It feels deeply personal—we had shared space with them, even moored alongside them near Little Brother Island. We hope, as the ancient Egyptians believed, that they have found their way to paradise.
