Any returns bout diving in Iran ?
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Will_A
Registered
Eager to hear if you ended up diving in Iran. I've got ambitions to go to Kish Island in 2019. Curious to hear tales and advice. Also if there's anywhere else in Iran to go diving, let me know!
I lost a SeaLife camera diving in the Gulf...tides should have taken it to Iran. Let me know if you find it. 
Sunn
Contributor
I have read a report on diving in Kish island, but can't find it back.... They were saying it wasn't bad at all, some organizational problems, but it's normal in this part of the world....
Will_A
Registered
Excellent... I'm tentatively going to be diving Kish Island late April 2019. There's a bit of a hassle as an American to get a Iranian Visa (but nothing near hassle for Iranians trying to get a US Visa). I will be posting a dive report here and on YouTube.
Sunn
Contributor
@Will_A
I've never dived that side, so take that into consideration..
It helps to understand the area. The Persian Gulf is almost an Inland sea. The water ebbs and flows through the Strait of Hormuz. It's also very shallow, especially around the coasts of the UAE, Qatar and Saudi where you struggle to get to 40m. Because of this, in the summer teh gulf heats up. 38C at the surface and all the way down to 40m is not uncommon. So in these shallow areas coral is scarce. The gulf is very saline because of evaporation and the desalination plants around its coast. Be prepared to add more weight
That said, we do get pelagics. Off the tip of teh Musandam peninsula (the enclave of Oman which is one side of the Strait) Sharks are seen. We know tiger, and bull sharks are around as they're seen from teh air, and the occasional hammerhead unfortunately is caught by fishermen - They're not spotted whilst diving though.
We do know there is a whale shark nursery somewhere in the gulf. There is an aggregation in the Qatar gas fields (maybe others too) but these fields are off limits to divers. That said whale sharks do come down both coasts on their way out to the Indian ocean ( dive the Musandam for 2 days each month and sometime see them 4 - 6 times a year)
The Iranian side is deeper, still not much more than 80m, but you would hopefully benefit from cooler water.
Do not expect large coral gardens, they do exist but are rare, more likely is soft coral mainly whip coral and anemones. Certainly around the strait of Hormuz there is a ton of life because of the nutrients coming from up from the continental shelf 20 mile to the SE. Also the water is deeper and there are a lot of strong currents cause by the water trying to fill and empty the gulf.
I'm not sure that will translate to Kish Island so much as it's that much further north. Kish also has a couple of dive ops on it, so I suggest the shallow areas will not be in the best state.
The water temps in April will be mild (sea 25-26C) The Air temps may be in the 30's and it's not unknown to have a few early days of 40+ we start to stay indoors from May - Sept). Also at that time, Sharmals (strong winds) blow down the gulf as the equator heats up .
The visibility can range from nice and blue 20m+ to green murk of less than 5 or 10m depending on time of year and currents etc.
This is the chart of the area, and A zoomable version is here
If you're interested this is the short documentary about the whale sharks of Qatar
Hope this is useful
I've never dived that side, so take that into consideration..
It helps to understand the area. The Persian Gulf is almost an Inland sea. The water ebbs and flows through the Strait of Hormuz. It's also very shallow, especially around the coasts of the UAE, Qatar and Saudi where you struggle to get to 40m. Because of this, in the summer teh gulf heats up. 38C at the surface and all the way down to 40m is not uncommon. So in these shallow areas coral is scarce. The gulf is very saline because of evaporation and the desalination plants around its coast. Be prepared to add more weight
That said, we do get pelagics. Off the tip of teh Musandam peninsula (the enclave of Oman which is one side of the Strait) Sharks are seen. We know tiger, and bull sharks are around as they're seen from teh air, and the occasional hammerhead unfortunately is caught by fishermen - They're not spotted whilst diving though.
We do know there is a whale shark nursery somewhere in the gulf. There is an aggregation in the Qatar gas fields (maybe others too) but these fields are off limits to divers. That said whale sharks do come down both coasts on their way out to the Indian ocean ( dive the Musandam for 2 days each month and sometime see them 4 - 6 times a year)
The Iranian side is deeper, still not much more than 80m, but you would hopefully benefit from cooler water.
Do not expect large coral gardens, they do exist but are rare, more likely is soft coral mainly whip coral and anemones. Certainly around the strait of Hormuz there is a ton of life because of the nutrients coming from up from the continental shelf 20 mile to the SE. Also the water is deeper and there are a lot of strong currents cause by the water trying to fill and empty the gulf.
I'm not sure that will translate to Kish Island so much as it's that much further north. Kish also has a couple of dive ops on it, so I suggest the shallow areas will not be in the best state.
The water temps in April will be mild (sea 25-26C) The Air temps may be in the 30's and it's not unknown to have a few early days of 40+ we start to stay indoors from May - Sept). Also at that time, Sharmals (strong winds) blow down the gulf as the equator heats up .
The visibility can range from nice and blue 20m+ to green murk of less than 5 or 10m depending on time of year and currents etc.
This is the chart of the area, and A zoomable version is here
If you're interested this is the short documentary about the whale sharks of Qatar
Hope this is useful
You don't really need a visa to go to Kish, or at least it wasn't necessary before as many people used that route for a "visa run" when their tourist visa was expiring.
That said I traveled to Kish once with an American doctor to give a lecture to Iranian doctors in 2006, you get some sort of transit visa, I'd need to check what that said if I can find what passport it's in as it was a while back. During that period I traveled to Iran frequently.
Kish Air used rather old aircraft at that time. I flew out on a Yak 42 and back on a Boeing 727.
Sanctions will probably have taken their toll on any Boeings I suspect, and Yak 42s flight history is not too comforting!
That said I traveled to Kish once with an American doctor to give a lecture to Iranian doctors in 2006, you get some sort of transit visa, I'd need to check what that said if I can find what passport it's in as it was a while back. During that period I traveled to Iran frequently.
Kish Air used rather old aircraft at that time. I flew out on a Yak 42 and back on a Boeing 727.
Sanctions will probably have taken their toll on any Boeings I suspect, and Yak 42s flight history is not too comforting!
I had the chance to visit Iran back in about 2002/3? Pre Ahmedinajad days. I was working at a University in KSA and went with a group from there. Mixed group of mainly Brits and USAians. Everyone had a great time. Great place to visit if you get the chance. Perceived hostilities are all political, the locals couldn’t really care less and are very hospitable. Generally a high level of education and in the cities English is widely spoken. Did a few domestic flights and yes, aircraft were old. Iran also had an indeginously designed and manufactured car, commonly used as a taxi, it’s truly terrible.
Diving was way off of the radar on my visit so can’t comment on that at all. Skiing north of Tehran though!
Diving was way off of the radar on my visit so can’t comment on that at all. Skiing north of Tehran though!
I used to travel frequently to Iran for business and their indeginously designed and manufactured car called a Paykan was in fact a copy of the British Hillman Hunter.
I also recall seeing copies of the Hillman Avenger too as well as their version of a Land Rover Series III, all built under licence.
The Koreans have taken over now as KIAs are built under licence.
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