Red Sea Cruises, Inc.

Featuring the flagship Reef Master

Itinerary

North Wrecks

The Thistlegorm
Probably the most famous wreck dive in the world, discovered in 1956 by Jacques Cousteau. The container vessel sank in 1941 when it was hit by a German bomb that blew a hole in the port side, igniting tank ammunition that was in its hold.

Inside the wreckage trains, tires, army tanks, motor bikes, Bedford trucks, waders and Wellington boots can be seen. Penetration is possible around the bridge and blast area. The large propeller is still in position and the guns on the stern are in excellent condition. Artillery litters the blast area. A bath tub and toilet can still be seen towards the bow and near the stern.

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The Chrisoula-K
Greek freighter on its final journey from Jeddah to Italy with Italian floor tiles cargo. Sank on August 31st 1981 when it ran into the northeast corner of Sha'ab Abu Nuhâs Reef.

Site Summary:

The Giannis D
Japanese Cargo vessel headed to Jeddah from Croatia. Sank on April 19, 1983 ramming the northwest corner of Sha'ab Abu Nuhâs Reef.

Similar to the sinking of The Chrisoula-K, both vessels sank soon after the Captains handed navigation control over!

Famous for the remaining and accessible air pockets in the stern section. Some paint and lettering "D" remain visible.

It is in three plus sections, some intact as if it were dismantled mechanically.

Site Summary:

The Carnatic - Wine Wreck
19th Century British passenger & cargo vessel with an iron frame & wooden plank construction. The vessel was headed to Bombay from Suez with 176 crew & 34 passengers. Her cargo was wine, cotton bails & £40,000 of royal mint gold. She sank on September 12th 1869 two days after running into the reef. The vessel remained stuck on top of the Reef but later split into two sections losing 26 crew and 5 passengers.

It is said that all the gold mint has been recovered by Lloyd's of London with the assistance of Captain Henry Grant - not her original commanding Captain P.B. Jones.

The Carnatic has become a home for giant Morey eels & glass fish which inhabit her intact and broken glass wine bottles.

Site Summary:

The Million Hope
The Million Hope, built in Japan as a Bulk Carrier sailed from Jordan’s port of Aqaba on June 19th, 1996 headed to Taiwan. Due to poor visibility, the vessel struck an inshore Reef approximately 3 miles north of Sharm El-Sheikh, its wreck sits upright.

The 25 crew members were rescued by Egyptian naval vessels. The 23,000 tons of phosphates and potassium cargo valued at £1.3 million, was recovered by salvage companies.

Site Summary:

The Rosalie Moller
Built in 1910 in Glasgow Scotland, the cargo ship was later sold in 1931 to the Lancashire Line where it later ended up in Liverpool under the command of Captain James Byrne. During these times of war, the Ministry of Transport laid claim to all British vessel to assist in the war.

The Rosalie Moller was assigned to transport “Best Welsh Coal” which burned more efficiently with no smoke. The advantage of not being seen by the enemy due to smoke was a great one for the naval forces. And thus the “Best Welsh Coal” was in high demand. Able to carry up to 4,500 tons, the Rosalie Moller abandoned its cargo trade in China to assist the navy. With the Axis forces occupying the Mediterranean, merchant vessels and cargo ships who tried to venture through rarely reached their destination. The Rosalie Moller took a longer but safer route to transport much needed fuel to Navy ships.

It sailed around South Africa and up the east coast of Africa to the Red Sea where it waited to be called through the Suez Canal to British Naval vessels stationed in Alexandria. It was during this wait that German aircrafts discovered the Thistlegorm, and the Rosalie Moller, and bombed them both. First the Thistlegorm, and two days later the Rosalie Moller.

Site Summary:

The Zingara
Built in former East Germany in 1963, the 1,582 ton cargo ship sailed from the port of Aqaba in Jordan on August 21st, 1984. The Zingara was carrying a cargo of phosphate rock when the next day it ran into Laguna reef (the eastern reef of the Tiran Straits) at such speed that the bottom was completely removed.

Site Summary:

The Aida
The French Built ship (1911), weighing 1,428 tons, was originally intended for the Egyptian ports and lighthouses administration, but was transferred to the Egyptian Marina to transport troops. The Aida survived a German aircraft attack that would have sunk it had not the Captain beached it before it could sink.

Due to the war, sea vessels were in short supply and every effort was made to salvage damaged ships. The Aida was successfully repaired and afloat until September 15th, 1957. The Captain at that time was responsible for transporting troops to and from Big Brothers Island.

Despite heavy storms that day, the Captain decided to continue with the troop exchange, and consequently struck a reef. A Tugboat responded promptly and all the troops and Captain were safely transported to shore.

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The SS Dacca
Built as a Steel Screw Steamer in Lanark, Scotland, the SS Dacca was deployed in 1882. It was later turned into a Passenger Cargo Vessel. This vessel went on long trips between Britain, India, China, and Australia. On April 29th, 1890, the SS Dacca left London with 91 crew members and 464 passengers headed to Queensland, Australia. During its course it entered the Suez Canal near Big Brothers Island.

Investigations revealed miscommunication between the ship’s Master and his crew which led to a navigation error that ultimately led to the Dacca’s crashing into the Daedalus Shoal. The ship is believed to be in very deep waters and has yet to be found.

The Dunraven
An “Iron Screw Steamer”, The Dunraven was part of the Bombay run, transporting steel and timber to India. On January 27th, 1876, Captain Edward Richards Care left Liverpool headed towards India with a full ship of cargo.

The trip was successful, but it was the return the proved to be the last run for the Dunraven. Poor communications between Captain and crew led to the crashing and sinking of the ship at the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula.

Site Summary:

The Kimon M
A “General Cargo Vessel” built in Hamm, Germany, the Kimon M weighed 3,714 tons. Preparing for a trip to Bombay in December, 1978, the Kimon M was loaded with 4,500 tons of goods from Iskenderun, A Turkish port.

The Captain navigated through the trickier parts of the Suez Canal, then handed control of the ship over to an officer. On December 12th, 1978, the ship crashed full speed into the Abu Nuhas Reef. A passing cargo ship rescued the entire crew. Some of the cargo (Lentils) was recovered and the rest lost to sea.

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The Maidan
A Steel Screw Steamer launched in March 1902, The Maidan was a very large ship for her time at 152.4m (500ft), & weighing 8,205 tons. Part of the Bombay run, Captain Nicholas Breen was navigating her back from India when she sank.

Due to his characteristic refusal to take advice from anyone, the ship struck the Rocky Island Reef after numerous warnings from his crew about the waters ahead. The ship is believed to be in deep water and has yet to be found.

The Numidia
The Numidia lived a very short life. The British Cargo Ship was built in Glasgow in early 1901. On her second trip (after clearing the Suez Canal), while navigating through the Red Sea, the Captain gave his orders and went to sleep.

It was concluded that the watch man fell asleep at his post while the Numidia crashed into Big Brothers Island right under the Lighthouse. That was on July 19th, 1901. Most of the 7,000 tons of cargo was salvaged.

Site Summary:

The Salem Express
Built by the French and launched in 1976, The Salem Express was a ferry ship from Egypt to Saudi Arabia. The Salem Express transported cars as well as passengers. The Captain of the ship, Hassan Moro, was so experienced and familiar with his route across the Red Sea that he chose to sail through the passage lying between the Egyptian mainland and the dangerous Hyndman Reefs.

This “short cut” took a full two hours off the trip. Rather than stay the offshore route in deep waters as other ships do, Captain Hassan Moro navigated through his shortcut on a stormy night. It was December 16th, 1991 when (due to weather conditions) the ship was slightly off course and struck the Hyndman Reef.

The death toll was set at 470 (minimum). 180 people survived, most of them swam to shore. The Captain went down with his ship, along with many passengers whose bodies still remain in the wreckage.

Site Summary:

The Ulysses
An Iron Screw Steamer Launched in 1871, The Ulysses was another cargo ship that fell victim to the reefs of the Red Sea. Captain of the Ulysses, Arthur Bremner, departed London Docks destined for Penang. On the evening of August 15th, 1887, while navigating through the Red Sea, the Captain checked his charts one last time before going to sleep.

In the early morning hours of the next day, The Ulysses struck the reef of Gobal Seghir. It was his first time navigating the Red Sea, and he did not believe the damage to be very serious, for the ship sat atop the reef and pivoted while the pumps easily handled the small amounts of water.

The Captain thought it was only a matter of time before help would arrive to pull him off the reef and back in the water. He realized too late that the ship would not recover from this incident and decided to salvage his cargo. It was never recorded when the ship actually sank. The last record of the ship was August, 19th, 1887. It took many days to actually sink.

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South Itineraries

Brothers, Daedalus, Rocky & St. John Brothers & Elphinestone Safari
Daedalus, Rocky, Zabargad & St. Johns Safari
The Brothers Safari
Marine Park Island & Safari
Deep South Safari

Southern Reef Summary
The Brother Islands (El Akhawein) are the apexes of two undersea mountains rising from depths of 300m. Located about 60 miles offshore. Big Brother identified by it's lighthouse, is about 100 meters wide & 400 meters long. There are two extremities to the east and west. Little Brother is just about 800 meters to the east of Big Brother.

Daedalus Reef is part of the Marine Park. A large oval reef with a lighthouse built in 1863 and is the furthest offshore and reef in the Red Sea. It is known for it’s cliff type edges and is practically a straight drop-off into approximately 2500 meter depths. It is certainly one of the most magnificent locations ever to visit and dive. It has pristine coral formations and abundant sea life ranging from schools of Hammerheads, Grey Reef sharks and many other sizeable as well as marvelous species.

Elphinstone, is known for it’s shear walls that are with soft corals. This Reef is known for Grey Reef & White Tip shark sightings. The Sharks are usually seen circling around the drop–off and close into the plateau itself during most seasons of the year.

Zabargad Island offers wall & shallow diving where many coral towers will be seen. Zabargad is famous for its schools of tropical grouper as well as endless varieties of colorful species, octopus, crustaceans and nudibranchs.

St. John's reef system is approximately 20km south of Zabargad. St. John’s has a sizeable array of smaller reefs along with tunnels and wonderful depressions. Habili Ali has giant gorgonians and black corals. Grey Reef, Silvertip and schools of Hammerhead sharks are usually sighted on its western walls. Habili Ga’faar is a cluster of soft corals. There is where schools of Snappers, Butterfly Fish, White Tip, Barracudas, Mantas, Grey Reef and Silvertip Sharks are usually seen circling.

*All dive sites are subject to weather conditions


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