Yesterday, I made a hard yet easy decision to cancel my dive trip to the Red Sea later this month. First, I received a message that stated one of my flights was rescheduled which affected my entire itinerary. So, I had no other choice but to cancel everything considering the current events.
Meanwhile, here in New York, the National Guard has been deployed to the suburbs to help contain COVID-19. And people in the surrounding areas have cleared out most grocery stores. Even my favorite ice cream bars were sold out at Wholefoods.
I’m still working on refunds and/or credits from my travel partners but the major round trip cost from NYC to Cairo was immediately refunded. Thanks American Airlines! The dive liveaboard (Heaven Saphir) also allowed me to reschedule to later in the year.
I booked several hotels and connecting flights through Expedia, Brussels Air and Egypt Air. I can not even connect to their respective call centers at the moment. I’ve tried via telephone and received immediate busy signals and also tried their web-based chat boxes where available. No luck so far! If I can’t make progress in the next few days, I’ll ask my credit companies to help. I also have travel insurance and will file a claim if my efforts do not work. Hopefully, I’ll be able to resolve everything over the next few days.
Since I won’t be diving soon and will be spending a lot of time on hold with call centers. I figured I would put together a list of scuba diving related movies. Here’s a mix of informative and fun scuba diving related movies to help pass the time (if you are self-quarantined).
For Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) travel advice visit the World Health Organization. Stay Safe!
Scuba Hank NYC 
Even your favourite ice-cream!!! 🤨 I’m starting to realise how crazy things are becoming in the UK too – yesterday one of the supermarkets I went into looked like a Christmas Eve scene – the queues and congestion was manic. It’s like mission impossible to find soap and toilet roll, and don’t even mention antibacterial gel – that’s like a lottery win if you fond any. I don’t want to jump on the panic-buying band-waggon but there comes a point when you have to start looking out for yourself…..Take care where you are, and lets hope this whole thing starts to simmer down soon 🔆
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It’s funny around here, the grocery stores are packed and being wiped out. However, my neighborhood is oddly quiet.
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You’d better keep that a secret lol…..🤫
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Things a bit mad here in Dublin also but the panic shopping seems to have eased a bit. You made the right call re your diving trip – there’ll be other times I’m sure.
Take care. Marie
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Yes, there will other opportunity to dive. I think, I’m more upset that the grocery store ran out of my favorite ice cream bars then canceling my trip. But I do feel sorry for all the people who are battling the virus now.
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We are supposed to go to Cabp/La Paz in a couple of weeks, and everyday we are watching, hoping to see our trip HAS NOT been cancelled either. I would be just as blue if our trip was cancelled as you are now.
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The fun part is obtaining refunds. It’s funny that charges go through immediately but some credit will take 30 days to process.
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I know, right?! Very frustrating indeed.
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Sorry you had to cancel but the Red Sea will be waiting for you when we come out the other side of this. Thanks for the movie suggestions; love some of those oldies.
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Ah I had to cancel my Red Sea plans too.. I am hoping that by the time all is well and we can go diving again The Red Sea also would have had a decent break and will be even more beautiful. Stay safe and healthy and thanks for the movie list!
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Sorry to hear about plans. Were you planning a liveaboard or land based trip to the Red Sea?
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Hope you will get refund soon. That is so annoying how fast they take your money but so slow to return it..
Thank you for the movie recommendation list! I have watched four from the list 😄 will have to watch the rest.
I recommend to watch a heart moving documentary about a cave diving in Norway and the unconditional friendships among the cave scuba divers from Finland – Diving into the unknown. I really like the movie, hope you will too.
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Yeah, it’s quite annoying they can take your money instantly and then take forever to return it. I’m pretty sure, I’ll get it all back. Most of the travel providers have already refunded. Just a few more, if they don’t, I’ll file a claim with travel insurance.
Several of the divers from “Diving into the Unknown” came to NY during a film festival and presented the film with Q&A at the end. It’s a compelling film. I was impressed or chocked by their resilience to bring their buddies back.
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I like how you are handling the change of events that are happening Hank. The national guards working the Corona Virus is weird. I can’t remember any coastguard interventions for all of the oil spills we have had in the oceans. Air and sea there is not too much of a difference. Your choices of videos are a good feel!💦
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Yes, it’s quite weird to see the national guard in the suburbs. Their efforts seem to be working because those area are becoming less risky. However, I think we’ll be quarantine for a lot longer. And I’ll therefore have to come up with another list.
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Are they there? Have yo seen them? The national guards are susceptible to the same germs, they are flesh and blood too. If they have protective gear for themselves, they (the national guards) should be distributing the same protective gear to the communities, otherwise the entire deployment is a sham.💦
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My friends that live in the containment area have been posting photos. It’s about 15-20 mins from my apt. I’m obviously not going any where near there. They are basically distributing food, supplies and make sure people are practicing social distance.
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I am going underwater and staying!💦
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Make you bring the right gas mix 😉
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Gilling is my style!💦
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Like!! Thank you for publishing this awesome article.
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interesting information, thanks for sharing
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Thanks! I should probably update the list since my viewing and now recommendations have dramatically increased.
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