TRAVELSPECIAL
Get your scooter running
For the final day we were given another treat - an opportunity to cover several of Rising Sun ’ s coastal reefs in one motorised dive . Kirsty had mentioned that the centre had recently bought some high specification Diver Propulsion Vehicles ( DPVs ). They were happy to let us put them to the test in the name of journalism .
The speed of the Suex scooters was impressive . Kirsty , accustomed to the units , took off first , leaving us in her wake . Half speed was not an option . Fortunately , even high-spec DPVs are intuitive to use , as long as they are correctly tethered to your body via a crotch ring of some kind . If you tried to hang on using just your arms , you ’ d be left with the option of letting go quickly , or dislocating your shoulders .
Correctly tethered , our propellers whirred furiously as we sped over the same dive sites we had visited earlier , angling our
Whip coral and blue-lined snapper
bodies against the rush of water to change direction . From time to time we paused to admire the reef , but the thuggish delight of high speed diving proved too tempting .
Near the end of our dive , Kirsty and I both noticed the same titan triggerfish that had terrorised us a few days earlier . Naturally we wished it no harm , but it would surely be educational to see how it would respond to two DPVs powering past at full chat ? The noble fish , knowing when not to pick a fight , fled the scene to my immense satisfaction .
As we made our way back to land , I reflected on the Baraza experience . It ’ s certainly not cheap , but I ’ ve seen better places charging twice as much . True , you can dive comparable reefs for less money in the Red Sea , but that ’ s true of many destinations . The Zanzibar experience is more rarefied . I ’ d recommend this trip to divers in search of luxury , romance and a smidgeon of spice .
Essentials
■ Getting there : The author flew with Qatar Airways via Doha ; a threemonth single entry visa is purchased on arrival . Budget £ 700- £ 800 for the flights at current prices .
■ Accommodation : The Zanzibar Collection is a group of four boutique hotels sharing the same stretch of coast in south east Zanzibar . They are : Baraza Resort & Spa ; Zawadi Hotel ; Breezes Beach club & Spa and The Palms . All are served by the Rising Sun Dive Centre , located at Breezes Beach club . risingsun-zanzibar . com
■ Prices : Seven nights at Baraza Resort & Spa is priced from € 1,800 (£ 1,530 ) per room , based on two sharing . A 10-dive package with Rising Sun costs $ 600 USD (£ 477 ), while four dives is £ 238 . Check out the sister resorts : Breezes is the informal one , with rooms from € 108 per person per night ( based on two sharing ). The Palms is more exclusive , with nightly rates of € 348 per person , again based on two sharing . These are the rack rates ; our advice is to scour the Internet for bargains or keep an eye on the group website thezanzibarcollection . com
■ When to go : Diving is year-round , but November has the lightest winds and best viz . Take a 3mm wetsuit . �
Scooter pose with Kirsty Bose
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