Red Sea

[Duncan]

From what I hear the Red Sea is *the* place to dive.

So.......please tell me from your experience:

Where, When and most important Why there and then...

...in the Red Sea??

Shot
Duncan

[TRITON]

Yes........I just came back from Hurghada,Egypt, and I can tell that Red Sea is the best place i've ever seen

[Pekka]

dude, it is the place! why not try Sharm El Seikh, you can get to Ras Mohammad to dive!! although the boats have to keep a "fair" distance to the reefs, but even snorkeling/freediving at Ras Mohammad is BEATIFUL as all the marine life in the Red sea!, so if you are on your way to there you are heading to "the place"

[M-2]

I'll second that Pekka! I spent about 2 months diving in the Sharm area. Great stuff! Lots o' sharks, a manta or two, and on and on...... Not only is RM close, but you've also got the Gulf of Aqaba and the Gulf of Suez close by. Day boats are good. Live-aboards are better! Night dives were also incredible- cuttlefish, not-too-shy octo's, and BIG eels. I've also heard really good things about the Brothers Islands closer to mainland Egypt. I think you may have to go the live-about route there.

Cheers,

Michael

[bdurrett]

Hey M-2,

Have you tried any of the live-aboards? My wife and I are thinking about going there (Sharm) next summer (after we have saved the cash) and, from what I see as far as prices, by the time it is all said and done, the costs are about the same for a live-aboard as for day-tripping after the dive charges are added in. It even appears that the Heaven Divers boats (or at least the new one) has a Nitrox membrane/fill equipment on-board

Another question, since my better half and I are neither super-experienced (meaning that she got OW1 certified last December in Kona and I did my AOW there art the same time), where would you recommend to rent gear in Sharm? Any really good or really horrid places stick out in your mind? I keep trying to convince the boss that we really should plunk down some plastic and get our own stuff (within reason) but she isn't real keen on the idea yet Don't know why..... Might have something to do with the price tag and then the cost of transporting the stuff there and back from Frankfurt.....

Thanks for any tips that you (or anyone else) might have!

Bret

[Duncan]

Might be an idea to get your advanced qualification before you go to the Red Sea....

Some friends of mine went and thye found themselves diving deaper than they had ever before mainly on these huge walls...

They really pushed the limits of their dive computer so I would also consider these to be invaluable for getting the most out of your diving there...beg, borrow or steal one if necessary!

[bdurrett]

Hi Duncan,

I have a Suunto Mosquito and I love it, It really has helped me to be a better diver (Looking at my profiles on the PC later scared the buhjeebies out of me a couple of times - "Geez, was I ascending REALLY that fast?!?").

I looked in some of the taravel catlogs and noticed that there is a clause in the next year (2003) catalogs stating that the maximum depth for non-Advanced divers (like my wife) is 18 meters and the maximum depth for someone with Advanced certification (like me but I would rather buddy with my wife anyway) is 30 meters (about 93 feet). This has been written into Eygptian law! I have heard / read stories that dive operators would check the computers/depth gauges of their divers and, if the limits were exceeded, that was it, your diving with them was over and there were NO refunds.

I don't know how true this is or if it was just a crock (the ending of the diving) but one thing for sure is that the major German Travel firms (i. e. TUI, Thomas Cook, and Neckermann) all have this paragraph in their catalogs where they offer diving as well as accomodations...

Bret

[Duncan]

That is really interesting...

I would imagine that this is really to cover themselves in the event of something going wrong...

My friend, who is a really gung ho ex US army who always dives with the biggest pig sticker you have ever seen type, claims deapths of more than 50% over that 30 meter limit....

I guess his computer was never checked...

I also have a mosquito and I agree that it is an awesome piece of work...speaking of ascending too fast....check this out...this was over a year ago..and I am a much better diver now

[Kalaya]

Duncan,

Could be worse, you could be bouncing, but that is a pretty fair ascent rate. 30ft/10m / minute is safe. Or just about the speed of your slowest bubbles.

Cheers.

BTW - Wish I have been but all reports point to Sharm el Sheik as the go

[bdurrett]

Hey Kalaya,

Take a look at the depth part of Duncans chart again..... it is in METERS! That is about 30 METERS over 10 minutes.... That is about enough to give some folks an express ticket to become VERY intimate with their local Deco chamber!

Hey Duncan, I am still trying to recover some of my old profiles to post. Had an "XPerience" that required a reinstall of Window$ and I am still trying to recover all the data.... Too bad I set my Skeeter to delete the profiles once they were downloaded to my PC

Bret

[Duncan]

Bret, don't worry about Kalaya...he has spent too much time in pommieland to remember sensible measurements like meters...

Hmmm.....good old XP....I had one of those where my system file became corrupt...though it was all over....but I managed to get in in recovery mode and kinda fix it....required all the software to be reinstalled...

But now I have learnt to make backups....I have heard that in some places (not South Africa) they are quite pedantic about seeing your log book....and the Suunto Dive Manager is all I have....probably should make a print out aswell...

Here is a profile of a typical dive at Sodwana the southern most coral reef in Africa...beautiful....with the water temp in June of 23 degree c....give me a shout when you are in the area, you too Kalaya

[Duncan]

Btw, here is a pitcure of Jesser point at Sodwana bay....lovely

Dives sites are measure in Nautical Miles from Jesser point....with 2 mile being the closest and shallowest...about a 5min boat ride...going all the way out to the most unspoilt 9 mile....which is only really accesible on the flatest days...

Off there this weekend so see some fishies...

[Kalaya]

Bret,

My original post was that 30ft or 10metres ascending over a minute is fine. So that would make 30metres over 10minutes more than safe - esp. with a deco stop.

Maybe I should display some of my work diving profiles

Cheers.

Hey Dunc's now, now no random abuse. We love the pommieland winter we do, I promise

[bdurrett]

Originally posted by Kalaya
Bret,

My original post was that 30ft or 10metres ascending over a minute is fine. So that would make 30metres over 10minutes more than safe - esp. with a deco stop.

"I see" said the blind man Guess I shoulda read YOUR post more carefully! Sorry 'bout that, mate!

[Duncan]

Kalaya's slowest bubbles come from the seat of his wetsuit....not from the regulator so that is not an acurate guide for ascent rate for him