Gear Recommendations for Red Sea Liveaboard

[Guitarcrazy]

My wife and I are going to Egypt with David Haas and Seasick Productions early next summer. We will be touring Egypt for a week and then going to Hurghada for a liveaboard. We were thinking we should get more travel friendly gear so we purchased travel bcds and Scubapro Go Sport fins. My wife bought the Scuba Pro Go bcd which she liked this past week in LA Paz. I bought a Zeagle Covert XT which I couldn't get comfortable with. I think it is too minimal for me.

Some of the divers on the LA Paz trip recommended not using travel fins as they said some of the sites in the Red Sea have strong current. They also recommended removing the octo and using an Air 2 to minimize further.

I carry a backpack with photo gear (thanks David Haas!) and then we will have our 2 sets of scuba gear and 2 bags with clothing and other items for land tour. This seems like a lot for carrying around Egypt and then on the boat.

What do most liveaboard divers do to minimize the amount of gear they are schlepping around the world? Thanks for the help. Posting photo from Los Islotes. Had a great time diving with Sea Lions and Seasick Productions.

 

[Cornbread O'Malley]

In regards to clothes for Egypt on the liveaboard, I brought two quick-dry t-shirts, two sets of swim trunks for diving, a cheap pair of shower shoes. I rinsed the items in the shower, hung outdoors to dry, wear the other set, and repeat the wash cycle. Liveaboard is rather easy for me as a guy: just t-shirt, swim shorts, barefooted most of the time. For my land excursion in Egypt, I used the same two t-shirts, three sets of quick-dry underwear, three pairs of quick-dry socks, a set of lightweight, breathable cotton pants, my long sleeve fly fishing shirt with hood for sun protection, and low-ankle hiking shoes. I washed my t-shirts, underwear, and socks in the shower at the end of the day and hung them up to dry. The next day I would wear my other dry clothing items and repeat the cycle. Add in one or two other clothing items for versatility.

 

[MB NZ]

The only toiletries I take on a liveaboard are toothbrush, toothpaste and if I'm feeling flash, deodorant. For everything else, there is soap on the boat. Most XY humans would find this sufficient. I take the clothes I'm wearing, plus one spare set and swimming shorts. Summer in Egypt is easy, winter less so.

 

[Guitarcrazy]

Thanks for the replies. Do you feel travel fins are inadequate for most of the sites in the Red Sea?

 

[Cornbread O'Malley]

Thanks for the replies. Do you feel travel fins are inadequate for most of the sites in the Red Sea?

Where is your liveaboard taking you?

I've only dived the Red Sea once back in early September 2024, and I can only base my experience on that. We went to north Red Sea: Ras Mohammed, Straits of Tiran, Thistlegorm, etc. I remember the current being not much of an issue at all of the sites I visited; the liveaboard crew paid attention to the tides and ensured the divers entered at slack tide when current was minimal.

I think you're in good shape in regards to the fins. If your Go Sports don't suit the conditions, I'm certain your liveaboard can rent a set of fins that have more umph. Or you can forward your concerns to your liveaboard crew to have some backup fins onhand for you to try on for size the day you board the boat.

 

[NothingClever]

I wouldn't skimp on your fins.

That's your mobility during the high point of your vacation. Mobility for enjoyment and for emergencies, too.

 

[Valerii Vakshul]

Your kit is perfect. Have a second mask and an octopus. I dive in Scubapro Go Sport - a great choice for Egypt and its reefs.

 

[boqurant]

I was in the northern Red Sea a few months ago with Go Sports: not only was there basically zero current - the fins are more than up to the job

 

[Pearlman]

Considering the frequent reports of Liveaboard sinking in the Red Sea, I would -

1. Keep a dry bag with my passport and valuables and a mini water bottle ready next to my pillow.
2. Also keep a snorkel and mask and small swim practice fins to tread water along with a dive torch with me at all times rather than leave it with the rest of my BCD/gear near the dive platform or Dhoni …

 

[MB NZ]

Re: fins - I don't know what travel fins are, but you may have to deal with strong currents. Most of the time this isn't the case because most diving in Egypt is done with the current, but you never know!

Re: passports - it's been discussed before, but Egyptian liveaboard operators will take your passport on embarking and hold on to them until you leave. I think they are required to do this. I've found the simplest solution is to have two passports