This is Part II of my dive report on diving with different operators in the UAE the first week of Jan. 2007.
I didn't make it to Musandam for the reasons mentioned below, but have included contact numbers and names of operators who go there. Also, I did dive in Oman in Jan. 2005 with Global Scuba in Muscat. The diving was much better than the UAE (even the East Coastbecause the reefs were healthier, there were more fish and the viz was much better), but it ain't the Red Sea, Carribean, Pacific, etc. Global Scuba is French run (but the family spend a long time in the US) and they were friendly and competent and arranged all necessary permits to dive in Omna. But they had a very small boat and were experiencing some teething problems as a new operator (ie. they tried picking up some guests from the beach at the Hilton and the dive operator there caused a lot of hassle and delayed us leaving for our dive). I expect this has been sorted as I have heard good things about this operator and they keep sending me information about their growing dive services, like Junior Open Water for kids 10 and up and EANX diving courses. E-mail:
marketing@global-scuba.com. Mobile: +968-929-76251
Now back to the UAE...
Jan. 5, 2007 Dubai, Pavilion Divers, Jumeirah Beach Club thats the 5 star next to the 7 star hotel). Tel. +971-4-406-8827. E-mail: diving@the jumeirahbeachhotel.com. Website: jumeirahinternational.com/diving. PADI Gold Palm Resort.
I had signed up for a day trip to Musandam which this dive centre supposedly runs weekly. I received confirmation only to find out the evening before this dive when I called to double check that everything was okay that had been called off that day due to lack of sufficient number of passengers. (The boat takes 25 but they sometimes go with 15). Considering there were only three people booked, they could have called this off sooner allowing us to plan alternatives. Certainly Al Boom diving and Divers Down could tell you a week in advance if they were going to Musandam or not. Therefore be warned: a confirmation from Pavilion Divers just means they have your credit card details and info.on file but is not a confirmation that you are actually leaving to dive in Oman!). Otherwise, they were quick to respond to e-mail bookings by e-mail but not general questions (e.g. Do you have afternoon dives?answer no, but had to call to find out.)
I therefore signed up for a local Dubai dive. We were supposed to do a new deep wreck dive, the Miriam Express, but problems with the coast guard prevented us from going out for an hour by which time it was too late to go there. (There was a ferry accident in Bahrain about 8 months ago and so the UAE is jumpy about boats. The Coast Guard is controlled by Abu Dhabi which isnt as geared to tourists as Dubai is, hence the coast guard issues.) We therefore did the Dubai signature wreck, the Cement Barge, which is 5 minutes from the Jumeirah Beach Hotel. The Dive Manager comped everyone capucinos, hot chocolates, etc. by way of apologizing for the delay. Divers signed up for the Advanced Class who needed to dive a deep wreck and now couldnt were also comped their dive, so they were very customer friendly for an incident which was not their fault. Pavilion Divers has a couple of course directors on staff so this is where many of the UAE Instructors get trained.
The Cement Barge is at 40 feet. Viz is terrible. Imagine a sandstorm and fog in the middle of the desert, add a wreck, a few solidified cement bags (which caused the barge to sink) and stir with salt water. Voila, thats the Cement Barge. There are no coral grows in Dubai because of all the dredging activity which also means the viz is terrible (1 meter max). We dove this wreck twice. The water was colder (18C) than on the East Coast and many people refused to do a second dive due to cold and poor conditions. This operator has a nice boat (but small with no room for dry stuff, showers or toilets), but then you dont need a big boat with more amenities for short distances. They gave us fruit (melon) to feed the few fish (bat fish, a few tiny barracuda, snapper) and served fresh croissants and coffee during the surface interval. Like Al Boom they had one DM for every four divers. You will feel like a millionaire pulling into the Jumeirah Beach Hotels port with all the posh yachts parked out front. This was the best part of the dive for me. Toilet and changing facilities are the best you will ever hope to find as they belong to the uber swish Jumeirah Beach Hotel. Personable DMs and Instructors coming from the US and South Africa. Cost: a princely 300 dirhams for two tanks and weights, 350 if you need to rent gear.
Jan. 6, 2007, Ocean Diving Center, Rotana Beach Hotel, Abu Dhabi. Tel. +971-2-644-1696 or 697-9313. Mobile: +971-50-771-4795. E-mail: info@oceandiving center.com. Website:
www.oceandivingcenter.com.
I was eternally grateful for this new operator for taking me out at the last minute. (I called the night before to dive here given that my Musandam dive trip was cancelled). They are located in a very nice hotel on the beach (Rotana Beach Hotel, next to Abu Dhabi mall) which has a dedicated dive center with classrroms and space for gear. You use the hotels very nice changing facilities (includes a lovely Jacuzzi!, perfect after those chilly dives) and they will lock your valuables in the dive office.
They have a nice comfy boat with a small storage space for day packs and provide towels on board as well as water. They offer tea or coffee at the dive center.
Abu Dhabi has coral reefs and some wrecks (in excess of 20 meters) and much better viz than Dubai. First dive was Delta Buoy, about 25 minutes out. We saw schooling bat fish, a cuttlefish, angel fish, a large porcupine pufferfish and lots of sea urchins. Water was 19C. Viz. about 10 meters.
Our next dive was closer to Abu Dhabi at the breakwater. Viz was 6-8 meters and there wasnt much to see except a lot of black sea urchins. Biggest thing I saw was a dead fish caught in an old fishing net which shows how little life there is there as it wasnt immediately eaten up by crabs, shrimps, etc.
There was a French instructor who drove the boat and an English DM for three divers. This was the friendliest dive operation in the UAE. I had a really good day out with them they were so pleasant. They were also the cheapest. 150 dirhams for two tank dives with my own gearwhich is half the cost of what Pavilion divers in Dubai was charging for a 5 minute boat ride and diving a shallow wreck with 1M viz. . (It costs 50 dirhams more if you rent gear.) Diving in Abu Dhabi is way better than diving in Dubai but not as good as the East Coast of the UAE.
Bottom Line: Overall, this was the operator I liked the best in the UAE due to the nice boat and friendly and personal service. They even helped divers clean their personal wet suits and bcds.
Other options:
Sandy Beach Dive Center, Al Aqah Beach, Fujeirah. Al Boom used to run their dive center and it has reportedly gone downhill since they moved to the Le Meridien. Still, they offer diving (including night dives) to over 14 different sites on the East Coast daily. They run trips to Musandam and you can dive but you need to give them at least a week notice as they need to arrange tanks and weights and other equipment with another company. I have also seen comments on the web that you guide yourself on their dives. If this is the case, I dont know how they deal with solo divers. Martie Stokes, the Operations Manager of the Sandy beach hotel for Diving was reasonably efficient in responding to e-mail questions. E-mail:
sandybm@emirates.net.ae.. Tel. +971-9-244-5555. Mobile: +971-50-455-3596.
Charlotte Anne Charters, Dibba. Traditional Baltic Schooner which sometimes runs weekend and 4 day adventure (dive) trips to Musandam. Overnight charters are 600 per person. Tel:+971-9-222-3508.Website:
www.charlotteannecharters.com. Did not respond to my e-mails.
Al Marsa, Dibba: Offers speedboat and liveaboard trips to Musandam. Dive shops contract with this company for their Musandam trips but then supply their own gear and staff. Tel. +971-6-544-1232. Website:
www.musandamdiving.com. Did not respond to my e-mails.
Discover Nomad, Dibba. Tel: +971-50-885-3238. E-mail:
chris@discovernomad.com. Webiste:
www.discovernomad.com. I wasnt in touch with them but saw in the Dubai Time Out that they advertise trips to 33 dive sites and provide guesthouse accommodation in Dibba, plus trekking, deep sea fishing, kayaking, camping and dhow trips during peak season.
