News April - June 2008 at Camel Dive Club
PADI Instructor Exam Held at Camel Dive Club
 Camel Dive Club had the honor to be chosen for the first time to host the Confined Water part of the latest PADI Instructor Exam (I.E.) on 22nd -23rd April. Camel swimming pool with its three depth levels offers the perfect environment for students, and was therefore suitable for future instructors to show their abilities. The I.E. had 22 candidates accompanied by PADI examiners, Dave Griffiths and Chris Heitkemper. They divided the group for morning and afternoon sessions and were very satisfied with the facilities.
We, at Camel Dive Club, are all very proud of being the hosts of such an important event. Read about our Instructor Development course.
Close Encounters with Big Creatures at Local Sites
 On 17th April Camel instructor Amr Sambouk and his guests had a very close encounter with a Whale shark, Manta ray and a Devil ray all on the same dive. The lucky group was in Fiddle Garden, morning dive, on their first day diving of the week. One of the guests said “There was so much to see, I didn’t know where to look”. Other groups are spotting such creatures daily at these dive sites, but normally not all at the same time! These magnificent animals are visiting the Gardens Bay to feed on the plankton that is spread in the area at the moment.
Now is the time for you to visit us. What are you waiting for to book your holidays? Check our Summer Specials.
PADI Awards Camel Dive Club for Excellence
 In its efforts to provide the best service and dive instruction for our guests Camel Dive Club trains its instructors to follow all PADI standards and Camel standards by the book. Camel instructor Kostas received on 18th April the “Certification of Recognition for Excellence”, for teaching an Open Water Referral followed by an Advanced Open Water course in December 2007. We are very proud that we can offer our guests the best quality instruction and that we are recognized officially by PADI, the global leader in diver education, for our efforts.
Thanks to Kostas and all our Camel Dive Club staff for their hard work in providing you with top quality service.
Learn to Dive With Us.
Camel Cleans Public Beach in Sharm El Sheikh
 Ras Katy is one of the few public beaches in Sharm El Sheikh. Lately it was unbearable to visit the beach because of the rubbish and debris thrown over the cliff. The worst of all is that the rubbish in front of the beach blows onto the coral reef. It suffocates the coral and fish can eat it and die. Camel Dive Club organised a Beach Clean Up on the 9th April 2008. The purpose of it was to clean the beach of course, but most importantly to keep the reef alive.
The event was organised by Martin Baker, PADI Course Director at Camel. About 25 people volunteered for the Clean Up, including Camel staff and guests. In total 70 litter bags were collected and put in two trucks to be disposed at the proper litter disposal instead of the beach.
The Clean Up helps to keep the coral reef healthy for all of us. It also comes as a reward for the locals, since Ras Katy is one of the few public beaches, we can enjoy it better on our days off. Check our gallery to see the pictures of before and after the
Beach Clean Up.
Camel Dive Club Supports International Year of the Reef
 The International Coral Reef Alliance (ICRI) has declared 2008 the International Year of the Reef. Camel Dive Club promotes reef conservation on a daily basis. Our instructors brief all divers and snorkellers at the start of their trips about safe diving practices, like not touching or picking up anything from the bottom of the ocean. We do our best to preserve the underwater world by taking only pictures and leaving only bubbles underwater.
Covering less than 1% of the ocean floor, coral reefs support an estimated 25% of all marine life, with over 4,000 species of fish. As one of the world’s most popular destinations, Sharm El Sheikh has 250,000 visitors diving on its reefs annually. If each diver accidentally broke off 1cm of coral on each dive, the entire reef would be wiped out in less than 5 years. Watching where you put your fins and your hands, and most of all maintaining neutral buoyancy is the responsibility of the environmentally friendly diver.
We count on you to help us keep the reefs healthy. For more information on the International Year of the Reef 2008 check www.iyor.org.
Warm Water Brings Big Creatures Back to Sharm
 Summer comes earlier this year and with it White Tip Sharks and Eagle Rays play around in the warm waters of Sharm El Sheikh. Camel guests and instructors are very excited with the arrival of these spectacular visitors. As the temperature of the water increases, more and more creatures are migrating to this part of the Red Sea. At this time of year we expect water temperatures from 22°C - 23°C, and at the moment we already have 25°C. As it is unusually early for sightings of the “big stuff”, we expect to have a summer with abundant marine life.
White Tip Sharks have been spotted in Ras Umm Sid and in Ras Ghamila. Camel Instructor Poli said “It was very unexpected for this time of the year. The shark was about 2m. swimming slowly and very close to us. I’m glad all my divers had a close look at it.” Baby Eagle Rays have been seen daily during the last week, in between Near and Middle Garden, practicing their flights and getting ready for the open ocean.
Now is the time to book your holidays and encounter these magnificent creatures while they are here. Check our special offers for this summer. Summer Specials
Watch Camel Dive Club & Hotel on Sky Travel Channel
 Sky Travel visited Sharm El Sheikh in February 2008 with the aim of finding out what attracts people most to this little piece of Egypt. A team of 4 professionals, including the well known presenter Adrian Mills were the lucky ones to experience the Red Sea entertainments. Camel Dive Club & Hotel was chosen as one of the main establishments to show holiday makers what this destination can offer!
During the day the team went on Alaa Mansour, one of Camel’s boats. They enjoyed snorkeling and diving in Ras Umm Sid, one of the richest reefs on the local area of Sharm. Camel’s Dive Instructor, Vicky, was interviewed on camera and said that “Holiday makers can’t miss the opportunity of going on a Try Dive, as the environment also offers perfect conditions for beginners”. In the evening, they filmed the Camel Roof Bar, which offers a very relaxed atmosphere for sunset lovers and the Tandoori restaurant, with its delicious Indian cuisine.
You can open it at http://travel.sky.com/watchTravel/overview and download “Sharm El Sheikh – diving” and “Sharm El Sheikh – night life” to see some familiar faces and places.
|
