Blue Waves

Our Blue Waves got some renovations done and spent most of January with sand beneath her keel. Everything went great and we've done a few new things plus the usual maintenance to bring her back in "Ship-shape."
I had a big smile from relief as I saw her back at sea and for this I would like to say a big "Thank You" to the crew. Especially, Captain Maher Gomaa and Mechanic Hani Elsaid, who worked and assisted to see it all through, that all ran like clockwork (an Egyptian clock of course but none the less a clock) till punctual completion. Onboard will be a good chance for anyone to hear the handful of funny stories about how it all went.
Here are a few highlights from dry dock >>>

Friends; Steffi - Chris - Sabine

To catch the last sun beams of the year together and to experience some exciting dives, this is the motivation to spend one's time on a southern tour in Egypt in November - on a safari among friends. If you don't have any, you make some - a traditionally easy task on 'Blue Waves'. So it came however, that some certainly had not made Poseidon as their friend. After a calm and warm first week of November, the sea became rough to the trip to St. Johns and back and conserved so many untanned faces as such.
Those who could recouperate from the mood swings of the god of the seas though, or were able to escape from them entirely, were compensated by all so picturesque dive sites. From the exciting 'caves' where underwater caverns with their winding turns were ablazed cathedral-like by the dancing light to the action-laden drift dive at 'Elphinstone' where a close encounter with a shark perfected the dive - there was everything for any taste. During our journey we were also escorted by a school of up to twenty dolphins at play.
This safari week stood under the, although little, farewell from our crew member and longtime friend Sabine who is about to leave for Australia for a couple of months. If you have no friends, make some - if you have friends, goodbyes are hard though...

Check out here a few pictures of this tour.

Oh how true that title can be. As everyone onboard learned from the famous shark researcher that the tales are what unfortunately give sharks their bad reputation. Erich Ritter's week long of seminars presented all about the instinct and body language as to how the game is played between sharks and humans. The shark expert motivates all who hear him speak to see sharks in a new light. Telling all onboard how to behave around sharks and what to look for in their behaviour and in the sharks, that tells of his intent. His great talks and inspiring passion for his work with sharks makes him a definite friend of Blue Waves. Rest assured we will support his work and try our best to get his message across to as many as possible. Be sure to check out his site and research centre in the Bahamas: www.sharkschool.com

Check out also a few pictures of the tour here.

one of the fun groups on Blue Waves

Just returning from an incredible tour with a whale shark, Blue Waves wants to take the time here to let all its fans know of what has been happening since its last stop in the diary.

Well the Blue Waves has got to enjoy some really fun tours including Tec Divers at Brothers and the Photo Workshop tours. The artists will soon enlighten us with their talents in an upcoming post.

The most recent tour with the marine biologist, Brian, had an incredible tour from start to finish. Along with the seminars about the sea and all its creatures were some fun dives aplenty. The motto for the week changed almost after every dive, but the white socks dance could not be left out in the end. Starting already on the second day they were greeted underwater by 15 dolphins and then on the next by tiny glass shrimps. Turtles and many baby triggers and a not to be forgotten sight of juvenile 3cm Emperor Angelfishes. But the greatest and best sighting of all was definitely the whale shark.

WHAT A TOUR!!! See some photos here:http://www.bluewaves.ch/photos/whale-shark-and-july-august-impressions/

Whale Shark with Blue Waves

After the last entry where we spotted the rare dugong, Blue Waves got to enjoy a an absolutely amazing dive with a whale shark! After a late wake-up and late dive at Elphinstone Blue Waves's divers were one of only two groups who were able to witness this amazing creature. Not only see this almost 4.5m female whale shark, but the Blue Waves' divers were also the only ones who dove with her two additional times at 15m and 10m for more than 15 minutes.

It was a whale shark of a time!!!

Blue Waves is certified

All diving centers and safari boats were requested to meet ISO standards EN 14467 / ISO 24803 as agreed with Egypt's CDWS, the Austrian Institute of Norms and the European Underwater Federation to confirm quality management.

So far only a few Liveaboards have been certified, and we are very glad to let you know that M/Y Blue Waves is one of them.

It's been awhile since we've seen her smiling face but she showed up for a few dives and snorkels to watch on our latest tours. These lovely vulnerable marine mammals, of up to 3 meters long, are truly a sight to watch. Despite their 1,000 kg weight they are harmless and vegetarians. They live entirely off sea grass. If you're ever diving over a field of sea grass and see what seems like a dust cloud be assured a dugong is not far away.

This encounter with the lovely Dugong is just one of many highlights we had the last few tours. Every week we are on tour and experience so many breath taking moments... there is just not enough time to keep track of it and write it all in our Diary. But we will try to keep up on our memories and experiences more soon here.

See two more pictures here >>>

Maher and Chris snorkling with Dolphins

With the beginning of summer comes the expansion of the warm thermo clines into the depths leading ocean's creatures to enjoy the warmth and start the copulating behaviours. Blue Waves and her guests were many times already immersed in the swarms of dolphins doing exactly that. They were incredibly playful, in more ways than one, and were so close and in such high numbers that it made it more than just a pleasure but a life's experience to be part of it. Not only were the dolphins up in numbers but the rest of the marine creatures was enjoying the warm waters as well, as we soon learned. Sharks were aplenty. Be sure to have a peek at Blue Waves picture ensemble from her past tours and the dolphin extravaganza!

Rescue student hard at work

After a week of strange weather and some rain (truly a surprise) all rescue divers successfully completed their training aboard Blue Waves. They were really put to the test with both waves and rain to fight against while pulling divers on board and saving lives. While at Dolphin Reef Blue Waves observed the large pod of around 50 Spinner dolphins swimming in the swallow 10 meter waters. Rocking at the surface at Elphinstone Blue Waves watched as all divers enjoyed the calm and current free underwater world. Be sure to check back if interested in joining the rescue course that will take place in 2010 on board Blue Waves. The next tour is already underway to St. Johns and already having a blast.

Our upcoming rescue diver tour will determine if the students will realize the difference when to throw the line and when to throw the rock. No but seriously we are looking forward to an eventful learning experience and in general a fun tour, especially for those who get to watch the students in training or who are being rescued. Those who are interested in making the rescue diver certification and would like to join the rescue diver week please send us an e-mail and look for an upcoming class.

M/Y Blue Waves

Time flies while you are diving! The season is full afoot and full of enthusiastic and motivated divers. Blue Waves is now into its second month since dry dock and running full steam ahead. Starting the new year off in the north diving a few wrecks and then taking the tour to the south and stopping at such greats reefs as Panorama, Umm Gamar and Gota Abu and made for an exciting first round of tours. Thereafter Blue Waves headed out to Daedalus and spent two days playing the longimanus. The tours went perfect. Please be sure to check out our photo gallery documenting all the fun and creatures we saw during these last tours. >> Photo Gallery

Blue Waves is finished with its renovations and overhaull. The Crew is now relaxed and anxious to start the new season.

The Captain Maher is completing his additional, international Captains training, Hani our mechanic has just completed an additional training to his large knowledge of ship mechanics so that our Blue Waves is always in good care.

We are looking forward to greet you on board of Blue Waves!

Picture: Chris, our cook Emad and Maher went to the market to taste and select the finest foods for the upcoming tours. :-)

Already out of the water, Blue Waves is missing the salty floor beneath his hull.  Renovations are underway to refinish all the wood, inside and out, and to repair many of the doings that hard salt water sustains to boats on the Red Sea a year long.  Many new features will be added to bring him a head above the rest.  The first tours go out at end of February so be sure to check the Tour Plan for next year and keep checking back here to see the progress while at dry-dock. See here some pictures...

Blue Waves and its Crew is always excited when it can make wishes come true.  While at Fury Shoals, on December 18-25, the last tour for this year, our honeymooners, and new divers, got to experience a dream first dive with 30 dolphins. The other guests, some soon regulars, celebrated Christmas away from their families this year but found on Blue Waves a new family with which to share their holiday cheer.  Lighting up the decks in Christmas ambiance ensured a cheery resonance from all aboard and allowed for easy motivation to sing Christmas songs and others. :-)

Blues Waves wishes all who were aboard and also those who weren't a happy holiday season and all the best in the new year.

What an experience!!  Remember the first time you ever dove; I do.  The cold water, the visibility was only 3 meters and the only thing I remember seeing was an old anchor.  Now  imagine this, our two new divers and honeymooners put their heads for the first time underwater in open waters and see not only 20 meters but 30 dolphins and this all in 24°C water!  If that doesn't say how great a Christmas wish and dream tour can come true then I'm not sure what will.  Heck, I even thought Santa Claus really exists after that dive and he is here warming up before the cold flight around the world.

Blue Waves coming back from last tour to it's home harbour

As the salt dries on Blue Waves' hull in Hurghada, after coming back from the latest trips to St. Johns, the team in Switzerland is spreading the dry salt over its snow covered driveways.

Now Blue Waves and its crew gets to relax from the stress for a couple weeks before heading out for the final tour this year over Christmas. The management in Switzerland however is busy planning the dry dock renovations and the next tours for 2009.

We are looking forward to seeing you aboard. :-)

Thomas and Hanny preparing the tanks

Blue Waves hostet the last week a funny group of Tec & Sport Divers. 3 days Brothers, 1 day magic Daedalus Riff and last but not least the famouse Elphinstone plus a few local dive spots.

Organized was the full charter by Heimi, a friend of the Ocean Window team. He is planing a lot more tours with us especially for Tec Divers. Sign up for the newsletter and we will keep you informed.

Here are a few pictures of the Safari >>>

We had the pleasure to host a film team for the last 4 days and went with them to the Dolphin Reef.

These guests made a interesting movie about Dolphins. I hope we soon will get to see it. :-)

Blue Waves is now at Port Ghalib to greet our next guests for another tour to St. Johns.

one of the Longimanus who joined our tour

Andrea, Caroline, Guido, Feri, Ivan, Sabine, Sibille, Simi, Ramy and Renate

you all are very special to me. Thank you for the wonderful week.

It was such a fantastic week and as Ivan wrote:

'well, someone had to do it so there we were in the water with 3 of them...'

I miss you all and look forward seeing you again.

Greetz, your Chris

Hello

I am not a big writer but somewhere I have to start.

After the amazing tour from September 18 to 25, 2008 I decided to start here a blog. So many things always go on and I wanna try to write down at least a few of them.

Feel free to add your coments as well and write here or in our Guestbook. Thank you!

Chris