THE AZORES 2017 ADVENTURE EXPEDITION LEADER NUNO SÁ. Nuno Sá

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1 EXPEDITION LEADER NUNO SÁ 2017 ADVENTURE THE AZORES ATLANTIC BIG ANIMALS. Join photographer Nuno Sá on an unforgettable adventure into the blue around the green island of Pico in the Azores. This adventure is designed for those of you that want to experience the best of the Azores, above and below, while taking part in a photo workshop led by a Pro! Blue & mako shark diving (shark baigng) Mobulas at Princess Alice Bank (seamount) Sperm and Bard whale watching Dolphin snorkling (up to 5 different species) High class AtlanGc diving Photo workshop with Nuno Sá

2 Discover the Best of the Azores all in one adventure! The Azores has quickly become Europe s hotest desgnagon for marine encounters and there are plenty of good reasons why. The blue ocean filled with life, the warmer summer waters, the islands picturesque nature and the lack of mass tourism all make this an opgmal desgnagon. From the island of Pico you have access to the Azores most interesgng shark diving out in the blue, you reach the mythical sea mount where sociable mobulas reside, and at the same Gme we cross through waters full of dolphins and whales. And should the weather not be on you side, there are plenty of dive sites around the island offering protecgon from the winds. Diving with sharks Four full days are planned for this excigng adventure. Way out in the ocean, over a deep outer bank, you will bait in the sharks in the Azores best shark site. We want to make sure that you have the best chances to spend a lot of Gme with the blue sharks in their natural environment. If all goes to plan, you will have the chance to photograph the blue shark up close. Don t forget that this is a weather dependent acgvity and you may move the dive days if it is in your favor. The blue shark is normally between two to three meters long and is, according to many, the world s most beaugful shark with its slim body and elegant pectoral fins. The back is a deep blue color with lighter sides and a white belly, and if the sun is shining the blue shark is almost an electric blue shade. It is quite possible that you will even bait in the Ferrari of sharks - the mako shark, also know as a mackerel shark. The mako is a shiny grey-blue color and much more stocky than the blue shark. The mako sharks fearsome appearance is largely due to the fact that its teeth sgck out of its mouth even when the mouth is closed. It is also one of the worlds fastest sharks, capable of swimming at 40 km/h for long distances.

3 Mobulas around the legendary sea bank Princess Alice During the summer months when the water s surface temperature warms up, the summer guests (mobulas and mantas) return to the Azores vast outer banks. The legendary sea bank is Princess Alice which stretches up from 1000 m depth to approximately 35 m from the oceans surface. Here you will experience schools of circling giant mantas and mobulas. For some reason they are very curious of divers and it is not unusual for them to play with the divers bubbles while divers hang on the line. To see a flock of giant mantas coming at you close-up, like a colossal flock of birds, is a memory for life. There are oaen two species that are found in this area. First and formost is the mobula (Mobula tarapacana), but the manta (Manta birostris) is also commonly seen. The outer bank has a lot of excigng things to explore. Through the day large schools of horse mackerel, tuna fish and barracudas oaen gather over the top of the sea mount. Large sgng rays fly about closer to the mount, while moray eels curiously peek out of their volcano crevices, and here to you may just see congers (Conger conger). On the way there, and the way home, you are on constant watch for other marine life acgvity. Although it is a long day at sea, it is well worth the Gme spent.

4 Sperm whales and dolphins The ocean is deep outside of Pico, reaching depths of more than m. This is the perfect environment for the resident sperm whales that live year round outside of Pico. The sperm whale is the largest toothed whale and you will spend Gme at sea trying to get close to these magnificent giants. With a lifle luck pilot whales will make an appearance as they regularly pass by this area. To see dolphins interacgng in their natural environment is an incredible experience, but to swim amongst them is an unforgefable one. For some the experience is magical, for others, a reminder of where we came from, but for everyone, it is a memory for life. The chance is great to snorkel alongside one of the five species of dolphins that are around the Azores. It is oaen the AtlanGc spofed dolphin (Stenella frontalis) and the short beaked common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) that allow spectators to get a lifle closer to them. Having the correct camera adjustments is crucial here before hopping in the water!

5 AtlanIc diving The plan is to dive the best places around the island of Pico and Faial for two days, visit the outer banks of Princess Alice for one day and then spend four days out in the blue at 3-5 meters depth with the blue sharks. You will wrap up the trip with a day spent among the sperm whales and then one snorkeling with dolphins. In order to enjoy the diving in full we recommend that you have a PADI AOW cergficate, or similar and have a minimum of 50 logged dives. Diving around the Azores has two basic modes. In good weather the ocean invites you out to distant sites such as Princess Alice and to the blue sharks, and when you travel by zodiac the opportunity to discover and experience more acgon is ever present when dolphins, sea turtles and even mola molas show up. When the weather is rougher, diving is closer to shore where the dive site is sheltered from the wind. With excigng caves and exuberant reefs, there are plenty of photograph friendly coastal treasures that will fill up a week of diving. For this reason our program is a plan that may need to be modified depending on what the weather gods decided to give us. You expedigon leader will be there to make sure that you get the most out of your week in Europes own Galapagos.

6 Nuno Sá - your expediion leader Nuno Sá is a professional photographer since 2004, specialized in marine wildlife photography. He has 6 edited books and is a regular contributor to several nagonal and internagonal magazines, including NaGonal Geographic Portugal, Dive magazine, Scuba Diving magazine, Plongée, X-ray magazine, Asian Diver, amongst several others. He has exhibited pictures in some of the world s main natural history museums, such as the London Natural History Museum and the Smithsonian NaGonal Museum of Natural History, in Washington. Nuno Sá has been disgnguished in some of the worlds major internagonal wildlife and underwater photography compeggons, including the Gtle of Underwater photographer of the Year 2015, two awards at the presggious Wildlife Photographer of the year compeggon, aswell as winner of the Oceans category of the Natures Best Photography, amongst several others, and is today considered the most awarded wildlife photographer in Portugal. As a wildlife photographer Nuno Sá has been very acgve in creagng marine awareness about the unique sea life of the Azores and Portugal. In 2010 he started a new way of genng people involved, splinng his Gme at the sea between sglls and video, and opening Portugal first producgon company specialized in underwater imagery AtlanGc Ridge ProducGons, using a ultra high definigon RED Epic 5K camera to capture the amazing sea life of the Azores. He presently spends most of his Gme underwater doing video for several InternaGonal Tv channels such as BBC, NaGonal Geographic channel, NHK and Discovery channel. Since I became an underwater photographer based in the mid-atlangc Oásis of life called the Azores archipelago I was always allured by the great pelagic animals of high seas. May it be blue sharks to sperm whales, dolphins, turtles, a sun-fish or a group of devil rays, it is in high seas I feel the Ocean at it most unpredictable and wild state. It s been almost 20 years since my first visit to the Azores. I was studying law then and was on my first diving trip, with all of eight dives wrifen down in my brand new logbook. Six years later, I was living in the Azores. I had traveled and dived in many remote locagons by then, Africa, Australia, Asia but one place never lea my mind those nine small islands that stood alone in the middle of the AtlanGc. So, I hung my law degree diploma at my parent s house in Portugal and lea for the Azores with a single goal in mind: to live in and discover a place with one of the highest levels of marine biodiversity in the world, and maybe even become an underwater photographer. Aaer 14 years of diving in these nine islands as a professional nature photographer, I have seen the world s largest animal the majesgc blue whale and dived with orcas, pods of sperm whales, dolphins, turtles, Blue and Mako sharks, devil and manta rays, whale sharks and many other fascinagng creatures. But I am sure I can spend the rest of my life on these islands without discovering all of the secrets the Azorean seas have to reveal.

7 Underwater workshop with Nuno Sá During the expedigon you will have the chance to take spectacular photographs of blue sharks, mobulas, groupers, the AtlanGc s dynamic marine life and dolphins. You will also spend Gme searching for sperm whales and other baleen whales to capture on film from the zodiac (but not from the water). As well, Nuno will have three very informagve and inspiring presentagons during the trips first few evenings. PresentaIon 1 - The Azores, an Oasis of life in the middle of the AtlanIc An introductory presentagon about what makes the Azores a unique sea life hot spot in the middle of the vast AtlanGc Ocean. What you can expect to see during this expedigon and what kind of photo/video equipment configuragon you should prepare for the next days? PresentaIon 2 - Shark diving and Princess Alice Seamount Learn about the best techniques to best capture some of the most unique big animals of the Azores: Blue sharks, mobulas and big pelagics. PresentaIon 3 - UW filming in the Azores What equipment to use, best techniques? What to expect while capturing video imagery in the Azores? Your photo pro Nuno Sá will give briefings during the trip, as well as give photography feedback to those that would like to have it. In plenty of Gme prior to the trips departure, you will be sent an giving Gps about what is good to have with you on this adventure. At that Gme you will also have Gme to ask specific quesgons to Nuno regarding photography in preparagon of the trip.

8 Nuno Sá YOUR AZORES ADVENTURE DAY BY DAY Friday September 1 We ask you to please arrive to the airport Pico (PIX) or Horta (HOR) in the Azores on this day. You can arrive anygme during the day. Please send us your flight details as soon as you have booked your own flight. From the airport you will get transfer to your final desgnagon Madalena do Pico on the island of Pico. Saturday September 2 Two local dives will start the trip off in order for you to test your equipment and get used to the AtlanGc condigons. Sunday September 3 Two local dives around Pico. Monday September 4 A full day excursion to the outer banks of Princess Alice with two dives (late day arrival back to hotel). Tuesday September 5 Depart by zodiac with the blue and mako sharks as the target. During the shark expedigon days there will only be one dive, yet the total Gme at sea is normally around six hours. Added Gme may be required to draw in the sharks and dependent on the sharks behavior. Wednesday September 6 One dive focusing on the blue and mako sharks.

9 YOUR AZORES ADVENTURE DAY BY DAY Thursday September 7 One dive focusing on the blue and mako sharks. Friday September 8 One dive focusing on the blue and mako sharks. Saturday September 9 Dolphin snorkeling for 3-4 h. Sunday September 10 Whale watching for 3-4 h. Monday September 11 Time to check out of the hotel and take the short transfer over to Horta or Pico airport for you flight home. You can depart anygme during the day. You will arrive home with unforgefable memories and pictures. Please note! Please note that the ignerary is only a preliminary plan. AcGviGes can change, or may need to be exchanged, in the case of adverse weather condigons or other unexpected incidents. We ask you to please be flexible. AccommodaGon can also change due to availability. Your expedigon leader is there to make sure that you get the most out for your holiday in the Azores.

10 ABOUT THE TRIP Date September 1-11, 2017 DesInaIon Pico - Azorerna - AtlanGc Ocean Included in the price Transfer Horta/Pico airport - hotel on Pico r/t 10 nights in a shared double room with breakfast at Hotel Caravelas 2 day with 2 local reef dives a day incl. 12L tank, weights and belt 4 days of blue shark diving with 1 long dive per day incl. 12L tank, weights and belt 1 days with 2 dives at Princess Alice incl. lunch package, 12L cylinder, weights & belt 1 dolphin snorkeling excursion (3-4h) 1 whale watching excursion (3-4h) UW-photo workshop with Nuno Sá Not included in the price Flight to/from Horta (HOR) / Pico (PIX) Other acgviges, dive equipment, drinks and meals not specified above Tips for guides and crew CancellaGon and travel insurance Price per person USD How can I pay for my trip? You can pay by bank transfer or our online payment system. We only accept VISA and MasterCard. Contact us if you would like to pay in another currency. Do not make the currency exchange without our permission. Please note that all extra payment fees must be paid by the customer. How much do I pay and when? When you have accepted the offer from Scuba Travel Scandinavia, you will receive a booking confirmagon within one to two workdays. To confirm your spot, a deposit of 3000 SEK is required within 7 days from the booking date. This is a trip with a scheduled flight, you will need to pay the total flight cost for us to be able to confirm your flight. Before this has been done flight cost and availability can change. Flights will be available ca ten months before your trip departure. The final trip payment should be in Scuba Travel Scandinavia's account a minimum of 14 days prior to your departure date. Contact Scuba Travel Scandinavia

11 ABOUT THE TRIP Extras Equipment rental Complete dive equipment rental is available. Please contact us for the most updated price. CancellaIon Insurance Please make sure you have cancellagon insurance. If you do not we can help you to book with ERV insurance. It is available for a cost of 6% of the total trip cost. Important Your passport must be whole and valid for more than six months aaer your arrival back home. Please note that you need to apply for an ESTA if you are flying through, or to the US, and do not hold an American or Canadian passport. The applicagon must be done online via: hfps://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/ and a fee is incurred which is not included in the price of this trip. The applicagon must be done a minimum of 72 hours before arrival to the US. Please also read this new rules for ESTA for those of you who has visited Syria, Irak, Iran or Sudan: hfp:// sweden.usembassy.gov/vwpchanges.html All divers must have a dive cergficate, dive log book and proof of dive insurance. For this trip we recommend all divers to be cergfied PADI Advanced Open Water diver or the equivalent with a minimum of 50 logged dives. If you have not been diving within one year of your departure we strongly recommend that you complete a scuba review course. Please make sure that you have a valid insurance which includes scuba diving. If you do not have insurance or need a complement, we strongly recommend you to purchase a diving insurance such as DAN or similar, diversalertnetwork.org. Due to the ever-increasing restricgons placed on checked- in baggage on flights, overweight/ extra baggage must be reported to and accepted by, the flight company. We will happily assist you to book you extra weight that is required. Please note that prices and baggage allowance varies between flight companies. Contact Scuba Treavel in good Gme before your departure. We reserve the right for price changes due to currency fluctuagons or flight price increases. When you book your trip you accept Scuba Travel Scandinavia's terms and condigons. The given informagon that Scuba Travel Scandinavia has in its wrifen informagon (i.e. the trip content, amount of dives, diving at a special locagon) is provided under the pretense of opgmal condigons, and unforeseen circumstances may affect this. The dive leader or boat captain that is in charge of the trip always has the right to change the contents of the trip due to such unforeseen circumstances such as e.g. weather/wind, poligcal/ governmental decisions, or other acts that lie outside of their control that can affect the safety of the customers or ship. In this situagon, the customer has no right to compensagon or refund.