BDE vs Deep South

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Jon4294

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Hi guys!

I dont know if im writing this post in the right place, but it is my first post in this forum.

This August im planning a dive trip to the Red Sea, and im looking both the BDE tour and the Deep South tour (Abu Dabbab, Fury Shoal, Sahab- Sharm, Zabargad, Rocky and St Johns).
As ive never been to the Red Sea before, im not sure abouth which could be a better choice, or what are the main differences between both tours, so if someone who has been in both sites could help me it would be very useful for me to know his opinion.

Thank you very much.
 
In summer, the water temperature is more elevated, so some animals, for example hammerhead sharks, stay deeper. That's why you have less chances to see them in BDE. But it's the same in Rocky island/Zabargad.

You'll see the same life and corals in the south, the main difference is that you'll probably encounter less current in the southern reefs (St John). Another difference is that you usually have less night sailing time in the south.
 
Hi guys!

I dont know if im writing this post in the right place, but it is my first post in this forum.

This August im planning a dive trip to the Red Sea, and im looking both the BDE tour and the Deep South tour (Abu Dabbab, Fury Shoal, Sahab- Sharm, Zabargad, Rocky and St Johns).
As ive never been to the Red Sea before, im not sure abouth which could be a better choice, or what are the main differences between both tours, so if someone who has been in both sites could help me it would be very useful for me to know his opinion.

Thank you very much.

I asked a similar question not too long ago in this other thread. There is some useful info in there for you.

Red Sea Aggressor Itineraries - Help!?
 
I did the Deep South a few years ago. Personally I was bored silly by the 3rd day because it was entirely reefs. Others in the group seemed to enjoy it though :)
 
BDE has generally better chances for big animals (sharks). Summer is the prime season for sharks as you have the chance to see many spieces. In shallow water too.
The south (St Johns) has some pretty reefs but are inmo less exciting. Fury shoal has a few great spots. If I were to single out ”one” spot in the Egyptian Red Sea it would be Il Akhawein (Brothers) which is cheating, because it is actually 5-6 dives. I would choose to dive it in July.
 
I chose BDE for my first Red Sea trip (on Aggressor--report can be found here) because I felt it's the most classic itinerary. Of course, something farther north that includes famous wrecks like the Thistlegorm could also be considered classic. Some people on my trip who had done the Southern itinerary the week before said that it wasn't so great, but the issue was the conditions at the time--what sites were diveable or not for one reason or another--not so much the itinerary itself. So I guess that adds some randomness to the decision: what is better or worse one week could be different the next week.
 
Hi, due to my available schedule, probably LOB may not be possible for me to join. Wish to see the Oceanic White Tip and from where I am red sea seems to be the right place to view them. BDE has the highest hit as I checked the many posts and claims by operators.
Is there any resorts that can accommodate diver like myself and mainly do day or boat dives to see this Oceanic White Tip?

Thanks in advance.
 
Hi, due to my available schedule, probably LOB may not be possible for me to join. Wish to see the Oceanic White Tip and from where I am red sea seems to be the right place to view them. BDE has the highest hit as I checked the many posts and claims by operators.
Is there any resorts that can accommodate diver like myself and mainly do day or boat dives to see this Oceanic White Tip?

Thanks in advance.

Brothers and Daedalus are too far out for day boats (normally an overnight sail by liveaboard ~8 hours travel time from the nearest ports). Elphinstone is the only reef I am aware of that day boats operate too (I think they go from Marsa Alem/Port Ghalib) and also has a decent chance for oceanics - however the guides on the liveaboard I was on a couple of weeks ago said that sightings at Elphinstone have been very poor this year so far and we didnt see any the day we were there. We did have Oceanics at Brothers.
 
As pointed out, Brothers and Deadalus too far out to sea for day boats. Elphinstone normally have its share and allthough they can be seen year round, they seem to congregate around the Egyptiand Red Sea off shore reefs in fall Oct-Dec.
Elphinstone is easily reached by dayboat. The Red Sea Diving Safaris Marsa Shagra Camp is on the coast just inside. They normally have two dives every morning on E-stone, 07:00 and 10:00 if memory serves me right. They have dedicated ”shark weeks” led by different shark celebrities like E Bojanovsky and Eric Ritter in the peak time for OWT:s — Oct/Nov. All other dive operators in the imediate Port Ghaleb area arrange trips there too. Most are great, a few try to cut corners with ”cheap” personell and questionable hardware.
 
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