Cousteau’s favourite dive sites (2019 appointments)

Many dive sites close to Cousteau’s own heart had since become world-renowned. But which were the great explorer’s top 10 favourites?

  1. Shaab Rumi, Sudan
  2. Sipadan, Malaysia
  3. Cocos Island, Costa Rica
  4. Poor Knights Islands, New Zealand
  5. Aliwal Shoal, South Africa
  6. Vancouver Island, Canada
  7. Blue Hole, Belize
  8. Cozumel, Mexico
  9. Heron Island, Australia
  10. Richelieu Rock, Thailand

It is no surprise that Sudan’s Shaab Rumi made the list, after all, great experiences, and exciting work and discoveries connect him to this site. Marvellous diving and an Academy Award. Jacques Cousteau, also known as the father of scuba diving, not only loved diving in this region of the Red Sea, but he had made several discoveries as well.

Jacques Cousteau, or Captain Cousteau to many, was a world-famous marine explorer who dedicated his entire life to marine discoveries. His main fields of interest bore not only great significance to science, but they also raised the curiosity of the general public. He garnered absolute fame with his underwater experiments he conducted in the beginning of the 1960s. Can man live underwater for a prolonged period of time? As part of his Precontinent II experiment, he spent a month living underwater, which they documented in a film. The film, titled “World Without Sun”, was awarded the Oscar in the category of Best Documentary Feature. It says a lot that of all the seas in the world, he chose the Sudanese Red Sea for his experiment. Though to those who had been to Sudan before, this is a no-brainer. One thing is for certain – Captain Cousteau had definitely managed to place Sudan into the psyche of divers.

Anybody who had dived in Egypt before knows that the Red Sea is an amazing and excellent place for scuba diving. Yet, one cannot simply think that if they had dived in Egypt, they saw everything the Red Sea has to offer. Far from the truth, since the Sudanese Red Sea is exceptional and incomparable. While you dive in the same Red Sea in both countries, the two experiences could not be any different. In Egypt hundreds of liveaboards sail the waters, but in Sudan this number barely reaches ten. The result of which may be that during a liveaboard trip, you see no other boat in sight. Sudan hides the most gorgeous and most pristine coral reefs in the Red Sea that shelter an feed its entire marine life.

This is where you will find the Red Sea’s marine life at its most abundant. Sudan’s warm and crystal clear waters support over 400 species of corals, and over 1,500 species of fish, turtles, and sharks. Large fish live here in large numbers, many of which are rare and even endangered. Here you will always see barracudas, spotted rays, morays, and giant parrotfish, to name a few. The coastal waters of Sudan are also ranked among the top sites for shark lovers. You will encounter grey reef, silky, hammerhead, white-tip, and whale sharks in this region.

If you had a diving bucket list, what would you include? If Sudan is up there, then…

… you should know that the most ideal time for diving in Sudan is between February and May. During these months water temperatures are around 25-28C, and this is when the marine life is at its best and richest. Dive with us on one of our trips:

And now would be a good time to mention that you can visit more of Cousteau’s favourite sites with us, like Mexico (Socorro and Guadalupe).

We are happy to send you further details. Send your inquiries to: info@cassiopeiasafari.com

Breathtaking images from Sudan!

This week we have received not only good news and breathtaking images from Sudan but a fresh, hot-of-the-press video surprise … off the back of a bird. Yes, you heard it right!

We had a “helicopter” with us for a couple of weeks that had already taken gorgeous aerial photos of Shaab Jumna and Umbria. You can watch one of the videos here.

The spawning season of the brown-marbled groupers has begun at Shaab Rumi and Sanganeb and as a result, the plateau is swarming with 50-80 groupers all about 50-80cm long.

spawning season of the brown-marbled groupersWe ran into an old buddy at Shaab Rumi again we have been seeing every year for the past 3 years – an enormous weatherworn barracuda. He is especially friendly this year and lets himself to be photographed even from a few centimetres. Voila!

barracuda in SudanAbout 10 grey reef sharks monitor Shaab Rumi, we saw 5 hammerheads in the deep blue and the plateau is truly alive. We have managed to run into a 20-member hammerhead school at Sanganeb and on the south plateau into 2-3 grey reefs and a quite lively marine life, all this matched by excellent visibility.

Sanganeb reef in Sudan
Tip of the week:
What kind of wet suit to bring to Sudan?
In May and June most divers can do with a shorty. Between February and April you are normally good with a 3 or 5mm long suit.

This is where we were this week:

Dive sites in Sudan
OUR LAST-MINUTE OFFER
May 5-12, 2014 *** M/Y Andromeda ***
Book by April 30, 2014 over the phone or in e-mail!

If you wish to know more about how to dive in Sudan, click here!
Magyar nyelven: www.redseaboats.hu/szudan/
In English: www.sudan-diving.com
По-русски: www.sudan-diving.ru

Sudan Liveaboard Scuba Diving Safaris

Suddenly feeling the urge to get away from it all? Get away to Sudan for some winter holiday and some of the best scuba diving to be found in the World.

Scuba diving holidayGet far enough south in the Red Sea and you won’t see other safari boats, liveaboards, or overdived reefs – just marine life, and lots of it! Sudan is known as the gem of the Red Sea and with reason! Untouched reefs, a splendour of corals in thousands of amazing colours, huge schools of fish and of course, sharks in abundance can be found here. And no wonder that Captain Cousteau built his underwater observatory here the parts of which can still be explored by scuba divers.

Shark in the sudanese Red SeaAfter visiting Angarosh, one of the most famous shark sites in the world, a really exciting wreck awaits us – the Umbria. Besides the beauties of the sea, we must also mention Suakin, the ghost town, which once was the main port in the Red Sea.

The wreck of UmbriaAs we did this year, we are returning to Sudan – with M/Y Cassiopeia and M/Y Andromeda – again in February, 2014 until June, so we look forward to seeing you and your guests again onboard for another amazing season in Sudan and we hope to see some new faces as well for an unforgettable experience.

We offer a collection of unbeatable, special offers to Sudan from February 2014 until the end of June.

Got a question or want to check availability? Please send us an enquiry!

Get more info about scuba diving liveaboard in Sudan here…