Hammerhead I — a purpose-built Red Sea dive boat with room to breathe

Hammerhead I is built around the part of the trip that matters most: getting divers to remote Red Sea reefs without making the hours between dives feel cramped. The dive deck gives every diver a fixed place for equipment, while the lounge opens across the sea instead of turning its back on it. The recorded Super Diversity itinerary links Daedalus, Saint John's and Sataya from Marsa Alam, with six diving days across seven nights. This is a boat for divers who want a straightforward liveaboard routine, enough space to work on their kit, and a route shaped by walls, currents, coral and pelagic life rather than by shore excursions.

From the dock, Hammerhead I presents as a working dive vessel with a clear purpose: gear moves outside, guests settle inside, and the sea remains visible from the main living spaces. The boat's wood construction gives the hull a warmer character than an all-metal platform, while the open decks keep the Red Sea close between dives. Once aboard, movement is simple. Divers work at their own station, rinse and prepare equipment, then head to one of the RIBs for the drop. The layout favours function without feeling like a bare expedition vessel.

The atmosphere is shaped by a small enough passenger group to make the boat feel familiar during a week, without turning the trip into a private charter. The English-speaking crew's working centre is the dive operation: equipment, transfers, briefings and the repeated movement between boat and reef. In the evening, the panoramic lounge and dining area bring the group back together over food and the day's sightings. Hammerhead I suits divers who want shared liveaboard life but still need room to step away from it on the open deck.

The recorded Super Diversity trip runs from Marsa Alam to Marsa Alam over eight days and seven nights, with six diving days. Its route includes Shaab Marsa Alam and Shaab Sharm, then three dives at Daedalus, three at Saint John's, three at Sataya and a final day around Wadi El Gemal. The wider southern programme reaches reefs such as Elphinstone, Zabargad Island, Habili Gafaar and Habili Ghadir. Elphinstone drops to -60m along steep walls where oceanic whitetip, hammerhead and grey reef sharks may pass. Marsa Egla reaches -30m in a seagrass bay known for dugongs and green turtles, while Marsa Mubarak reaches -25m in sheltered water with seagrass and coral gardens. Abu Sail combines a cave entry with reef, soft coral and shallow gardens to -40m; Marsa Abu Dabbab reaches -20m and is visited for dugongs and giant green turtles. Zabargad is remote and current-swept, with pelagic life and nesting turtles. Weather and sea conditions can alter the route.

Shaab Marsa Alam →

Daedalus →

Max. depth · 40 m

Elphinstone →

Max. depth · 60 m

Zabargad Island →

Habili Gafaar →

Habili Ghadir →

Max. depth · 43 m

Marsa Egla →

Max. depth · 30 m

Marsa Mubarak →

Max. depth · 25 m

Coral Garden →

Max. depth · 20 m

Abu Sail →

Max. depth · 40 m

Marsa Abu Dabbab →

Max. depth · 20 m

Turtles, dolphins, barracuda, dugongs, Napoleon wrasse, scorpionfish, morays, soft corals, wrasse, butterflyfish and nudibranchs form the recurring Red Sea cast on this route. Dugongs and green turtles are the reason to slow down over the seagrass at Marsa Egla, Marsa Mubarak and Marsa Abu Dabbab; dolphins are recorded at several sites, including the open-water reefs and Sataya area. The rarer encounters give certain sites their pull. Elphinstone is the place where a diver may meet an oceanic whitetip, hammerhead, whale shark, giant trevally or gorgonian, while Habili Ghadir is noted for white-tip reef sharks and hard coral. Marsa Abu Dabbab has its own small surprises, including shrimp, batfish and glassfish. None of these sightings is guaranteed, but the route gives them a reason to be there.

Dugong →

Dugong dugon

Napoleon Wrasse →

Cheilinus undulatus

Nudibranch →

Nudibranchia

Whale Shark →

Rhincodon typus

An English-speaking dive guide accompanies the trip. Divers must hold an Advanced Open Water certification or equivalent and have at least 50 logged dives, a requirement that matches the more exposed character of sites such as Daedalus and Elphinstone. Briefings organise the day's entries, the RIB transfers and the conditions expected at each reef; the exact group ratio and guide team size are not stated. Safety equipment includes emergency oxygen, life rafts, fire extinguishing systems, smoke detectors, radar, GPS and VHF. The boat is intended for certified divers rather than for introductory training.

The dive deck has 21 individual gear stations, so divers can assemble, check and leave their equipment without working across one another. Two Bauer compressors fill the standard 12-litre tanks, while a Coltri Sub compressor supplies nitrox; both gear rental and nitrox carry an extra charge. Technical diving is not supported as a dedicated service. Two 5.2 m RIBs, each with a Yamaha 40 HP engine, handle the transfers to the sites and collect divers after they surface. The boats keep the main vessel clear of repeated entries and exits, which is especially useful when current or distance makes a direct platform entry impractical. A dive guide is included, along with tanks and weights.

Between dives, the boat gives guests two useful choices: shade and sea views in the indoor lounge, or open air on the sun deck and outdoor saloon. The panoramic living and dining area is the natural place to sit after a briefing, watch the RIB return, or let a surface interval pass without retreating to a cabin. Sun loungers and open seating make the quiet hours practical rather than decorative. When the boat is underway, the view does most of the work.

A liveaboard day begins before the first dive, with the boat and compressor already doing the work while divers prepare at their stations. The first briefing comes before the opening entry, followed by the dive and the RIB ride back to Hammerhead I. Breakfast, fruit, drinks and a longer surface interval lead into the next dive; the same pattern continues through the day's later entries. On the Super Diversity route, Daedalus receives three dives on its scheduled days, Saint John's receives three, and Sataya receives three, with a night dive listed at Sataya. Meals divide the day, while the gaps are spent on the sun deck, in the panoramic lounge or watching the reef approach. The final day includes Wadi El Gemal before the boat returns to Marsa Alam.

Meals are full-board and freshly cooked, served buffet-style with both Western and local food. Hot and cold soft drinks, tea, coffee, fruit and snacks cover the gaps between meals, which matters when the day is divided by repeated dives rather than by a normal shore schedule. Dietary restrictions can be catered for. The buffet format lets divers eat lightly before entering the water, then return for a proper plate without waiting for a fixed order.

The standard and master cabins are placed across the first and third decks, with individual air-conditioning controls so each guest can set the room rather than negotiate it with a roommate. Cabins are arranged for privacy, but this is still a liveaboard: the sea is close, the boat's systems remain part of the night, and the most useful luxury is having a proper place for wet gear outside the sleeping space. After a day of diving, the air-conditioned cabin gives the body a cool, quiet reset before the next briefing.

The recorded Super Diversity departure and return port is Marsa Alam. The trip is listed as eight days and seven nights, ending back at the same port. Any transfer arrangements are handled as part of the booking information for the departure, rather than as a feature of the boat itself. Arriving in Marsa Alam the night before gives a sensible margin before boarding.