Practical advice before a cruise

 

Clothing: being Sudan a Muslim country, during walks in the city is recommended for ladies to wear long pants or skirts below the knee and no low cut shirts, for men is recommended pants and is better do not use sea boxer.

The air temperature is mild throughout the winter, only between November and February is recommended a sweatshirt for the evening, especially after night dives. 

The boat is equipped with a hair dryer. 

The sun is always quite strong during summer and winter too, it is useful to have the sunscreen and consider exposing gradually. 

The medicine chest is sufficiently equipped, but we recommend to bring specific personal medicines.

The 220v is provided 24 hours a day. There are electrical outlets in cabins, saloon and the stern (specific charging sockets for the lights). 

Kitchen: our chef is Egyptian, born in Luxor, the cuisine is international. Abundance of meat, fish, pasta, vegetables, for all palates. Spices and hot meals on demand. It is important to note allergies, special diets like vegetarian diet. 

The credit card does not work in Sudan, nor even in the bank and at the hotels. Better to bring cash in case you want to buy some memory. 

Shop: On board there is a small shop where they are sold: the guide of diving "Blue Sudan" in English and Italian, t-shirts and ethnic jewelry packed on board with materials collected in the suk of Cairo and Khartoum.

 
Gifts or Sudanese memories: 
you can find knives with silver grip from Beja tribe, some handmade wooden, ceramic coffee pots, old photographs. The handicraft is not very developed, there are hawkers along the wharf and there is only one store dedicated, downtown.

 



Visa and taxes: it is recommended to pay cash the visa and

 local taxes reported in detail by the agency. 

 
Extras: rental equipment, the dives with Nitrox, beer, wine, alcoholic drinks, soft and Italian expresso, telephone calls with Thuraja satellite telephone, must be paid cash at the end of the cruise

Extras: "boat service tax"   - This item includes a tip for the crew. 

If the customer is very satisfied, may decide to leave an extra tip, if deemed appropriate, for guides or crew.

Temperature:

Month	External temperature	Water temperature
September	30°-35°	30°
October	30°-35°	30°
November	28°-32°	28°
December	26°	27°
January	22°-28°	26°
February	22°-28°	26°
March	26°-28°	26°
April	26°-30°	27°
May	30°-35°	28°-30°
June - July	35°-45°	30°-32°
August	35°-45°	32°

What to bring

Personal equipment: mask, fins, jacket, computer, dispensers, diving suit, bathrobe or bath towel.
Recommended diving suit:

• 5 mm from November to March;
• 3 mm from April to June
•  1 mm or Lycra during summer.

Documents: A passport, which is valid for at least 6 months, and a visa from the country of departure are obligatory. The passport must have no visas from Israel.
The offices of the Blu Sudan Team in Sudan can also apply for visas from at least one week before the date of departure. 

Mosquitoes: there are no mosquitoes on board, the boats are moored away from the dock. In recent years it has been made ​​reclamation especially in the center of the city. Malaria cases have greatly decreased. In the event of an evening walk, there is no danger, but we recommend to wear long pants and, as a precaution, a mosquito repellent as "Autan".
Vaccination: no vaccination is required. 

Recommendation: Sudan prohibits the use of alcohol: you do not find it anywhere and it can not be transported. Please do not put alcoholic beverage in your suitcase. At the airport the luggage is inspected and if found alcohol it will be sequestered by local security with some discomfort and long waits at customs to exit the airport. On board there is beer, wine and alcoholic beverage, local authorities do not interfere in the use only if done on board.
Telephone: GSM mobile phones work only in P.Sudan round an area of 15 miles from the Port (at the Umbria wreck and on top of the lighthouse at Sanganeb).
On board the Sherazade you can place calls through the Thuraja satellite phone (this service is charged).

Security: There is a decompression chamber at the petrol terminal which is a few km.
South of P.Sudan. It has been used for emergencies before. Complete caution and prudence must be observed because an emergency transfer to Europe is complicated and not particularly fast.
Diving is done with 12 litre oxygen tanks. These allow lengthy and satisfying dives. There are also 15l tanks for rent.
On board there is a 50-litre oxygen tank for possible emergencies.

Included: breakfast, lunch, mid-afternoon tea and coffee, dinner. Water, tea and coffee are included all day. The use and recharge of oxygen tanks is included and so is the use of leads.