Captain Sparrow — a wooden Red Sea liveaboard built for diving

Captain Sparrow suits divers who want the Egyptian Red Sea from a boat built around diving rather than a floating resort. Ras Mohammed and the Thistlegorm wreck are part of the programme, with two speedboats handling the transfers between the liveaboard and the sites. Nitrox is included, technical diving is supported, and the dive deck has the equipment a camera diver needs. The wooden hull gives the boat a distinct character, while the air-conditioned saloon, open-air areas and sun deck make room for non-divers and surface intervals. The choice is straightforward: come for a Red Sea itinerary with a serious diving setup, then return to a boat that still gives the rest of the day some space.

Captain Sparrow makes her character clear before the first dive: this is a wooden Egyptian liveaboard with working dive facilities and several places to come back to after the water. The air-conditioned saloon provides an indoor refuge between dives, while the open-air saloon, sun deck and loungers keep the boat connected to the sea. A bar and jacuzzi add comfort without changing the boat’s main purpose. Movement between the indoor and outdoor areas is simple, and the two speedboats keep the dive operation separate from the main living spaces. The result is a boat that can carry a full group without making every hour feel like time spent in the same room.

Captain Sparrow can host divers from several countries without making language a barrier: English, French, German, Italian and Polish are spoken on board. The common spaces give the group places to meet after diving, from the bar and indoor saloon to the open-air areas and sun deck. Cabins have television or media-box access for quieter evenings, while Wi-Fi keeps the boat connected between sites. The boat is also set up for families, snorkelers and non-divers, so a week aboard does not have to revolve around the same routine for everyone.

The crew speaks English, French, German, Italian and Polish, which gives mixed-language groups a practical base for briefings and day-to-day questions. Captain Sparrow carries full safety equipment, but the available information does not give guide numbers, group ratios, instructor qualifications, course programmes, minimum logged dives, oxygen arrangements, defibrillator provision or recall procedures. Divers should therefore judge the boat here by what is confirmed: multilingual crew support, a dedicated diving operation and technical-diving capability.

The diving setup is built around a dedicated dive deck and two 7-metre speedboats, each powered by two 85 cv engines. Divers leave the liveaboard for the site in the tenders, then return to the main boat after the dive. Nitrox is included and produced through a membrane station; Bauer compressors handle filling. Technical diving is supported. Gear rental is available at an additional charge. Underwater photographers get a camera table, charging stations and separate rinsing tanks, keeping cameras away from the general equipment flow. Tank volume, tank material and DIN or yoke fittings are not specified here, so those details should be checked before departure if they affect the setup.

Between dives, Captain Sparrow gives passengers several ways to get out of the dive gear and out of the way of the next group. The sun deck and loungers are made for drying off and watching the Red Sea pass, while the open-air saloon provides shade without closing the boat away from the sea. The air-conditioned saloon is the cooler retreat, with audio and video entertainment when the surface interval calls for less sun. A bar, Wi-Fi and jacuzzi cover the slower hours, and the layout also works for non-divers and snorkelers travelling with the group.

Meals combine Western and local food and are served buffet style, with dietary restrictions accommodated. Hot and cold soft drinks, alcoholic beverages and spirits are available, while snacks remain available throughout the day. That matters on a diving boat: food is not confined to one formal sitting when a dive schedule leaves gaps between entries and briefings. The buffet lets divers take what suits the next dive, whether that means a full plate after surfacing or something small before getting ready again.

The cabins come in three clear categories. Twin Bed Cabins are on the lower deck, with 90 x 200 cm beds and 7.5 m² of space. Standard Cabins are on the main deck, with 110 x 200 cm beds, and four can convert to a double; they measure 9 m². The two suites occupy the upper deck and have 180 x 200 cm king-size beds in 20 m². Every cabin has an en-suite bathroom with an Italian shower, adjustable air conditioning, a safe, minibar and kettle, television or media box, lockable storage, towels and basic toiletries. These are practical cabins for returning to after a day in a wetsuit, with the suite category giving couples the most room to spread out.