Hurghada Late Feb - Dive Ops, Temps?

[kyley]

Hi All,
I'm taking my 75 year old Dad to Kenya and Egypt and plan to have two full days (Feb 25th, 26th) at Makadi Bay (just South of Hurghada). The one thing I didn't think to look at yet was diving and temps... And I'm sad to see it's pretty cold then! Highs in the low 70s? Probably too cold for much snorkeling at the resort? What's the water like at that time? I'm a wimp when it comes to cold water diving. Will wetsuits do the trick?

Are there dive ops you would recommend? I will be staying near the iDive Diving Center.

As I get older, I prefer shallower reef dives to deep wreck dives and open water for pelagics. I'd love to hear recommendations on dive sites! Thank you!
--Kyle

 

[JustSurfaceInterval]

iDive is fine. If you are there only 2 days, no need to go somewhere else.
House reef diving is possible and certainly worth it. They also offer full day tours, but as you say you prefer reef dives, just enjoy the house reef.
Temps can be chilly, i would say about 22°-23°, certainly not over 25°. Celsius

 

[kyley]

iDive is fine. If you are there only 2 days, no need to go somewhere else.
House reef diving is possible and certainly worth it. They also offer full day tours, but as you say you prefer reef dives, just enjoy the house reef.
Temps can be chilly, i would say about 22°-23°, certainly not over 25°. Celsius

I'm so ready for the US to switch to the metric system, but dang, I just don't have a handle on temperatures yet! Are water temperatures in that range as well - or warmer/cooler than air that time of year?

If there are better reef dives (colorful SPS gardens and such) that are worth a longer day trip, I'd certainly consider that. This is likely my one and only chance to dive in the Red Sea, so whatever is best for one (or two) days of diving I'll spend more time on a boat or car to get there...

Oh, one other question... Would it be better to stay in Makadi Bay or up in Hurghada? I'd read the resorts in Makadi are better for snorkeling, but considering temps, I'm not sure if that matters as much now... Thanks!
--Kyle

 

[JustSurfaceInterval]

No metric vs imperial discussion intended...
i meant water temperature. Air can be in that range as well but with some wind, so feeling colder esp. after diving.
If you got the opportunity try something in the south of Makadi Bay: Ras Abu Soma, Tobia Arba, Panorama Reef, Middle Reef, ...
To the north, some nice wrecks like the Carnatic and Giannis D, Chrisoula K.
However, it is likely that there is a fix schedule of for the tours with fix spots per day. So, you will have to take what is on the board for that day.
An option may be to contact the dive centre and ask where they are going on the days you are there. Just to know what to expect.

 

[Sunn]

If it is possible to go to panorama or middle reef, for your first dives in the Red Sea, you'll be very pleased, I think...

 

[kyley]

If it is possible to go to panorama or middle reef, for your first dives in the Red Sea, you'll be very pleased, I think...

Thanks! Looks like great dive sites and not terribly far. Can these dives be done pretty shallow? I saw at least one is a wall, but I imagine most of the coral life is on the plateau... Especially as a solo diver, I want to stay shallow.

Do divemasters in Egypt generally pair up with solo divers? Thanks,
--Kyle

 

[Altamira]

We stayed at Ft. Arabesque for five days a couple of years ago, using the on-site dive op I Dive, and I can second @JustSurfaceInterval's recommendation. Ft. Arabesque is a great place to stay with a very nice house reef, and a dive/snorkel area that was shallow and had some very pretty and fishy coral heads right in front of the beach. I am not sure what you meant by solo diver, but if you are by yourself on one of their dive boats, I Dive will pair you up with another diver or DM. Also, when we were there, you had to have a dive buddy to dive the house reef or the shallower area in front of the beach, which meant you could not dive solo, even if qualified. I hired one of their dive guides to keep me company when I wanted to do shore diving. It was no big deal expense wise.

 

[JustSurfaceInterval]

Do divemasters in Egypt generally pair up with solo divers? Thanks,

You will not be allowed do dive alone. So, 2 options:
1. get paired with someone you don't know and don't know how he is diving and don't know how many times he has been there
2. get a DM from the dive centre to go with you: "Private Guide". That may cost the one or the other $, but you will know that this DM will accommodate to the speed you want at the depth you want. And: it won't be his/her first dive at this place, so that he/she will show you things you will inevitably miss with your landborne eyes.
That's valid for the house reef as well as for any remote dive or drop off. Having a DM looking after you will be the safest thing you can do.
On a day trip, you will get paired with other divers in a group led by a DM, if you don't mind.
And - one more - as he/she will have a few 100/1000 dives under his belt he/she will not be offended if you want to stay at 10, 15, 20 m, what ever you fancy. Or, to say it in a different way: it will be his job.
You said, it's your one and only chance to dive the red sea - look at the price list. This will be well spend money.
***
Disclaimer: no commission, no stakes or any other relationship to that iDiver Dive Center

 

[kyley]

Ft. Arabesque is a great place to stay with a very nice house reef, and a dive/snorkel area that was shallow and had some very pretty and fishy coral heads right in front of the beach. I am not sure what you meant by solo diver, but if you are by yourself on one of their dive boats, I Dive will pair you up with another diver or DM. Also, when we were there, you had to have a dive buddy to dive the house reef or the shallower area in front of the beach, which meant you could not dive solo, even if qualified. I hired one of their dive guides to keep me company when I wanted to do shore diving. It was no big deal expense wise.

Thank you both so much! This is all great to hear. I have been considering staying at that specific resort, but also considering nearby Cleopatra Luxury Resort Makadi Bay (saves some money and still looks great).

And yeah, I don't want to dive alone, LOL. Just in Caribbean usually it isn't extra to have a dive master buddy since already diving with one. Thanks,
--Kyle

 

[Parlem]

For what it's worth, our experience with iDive at Fort Arabesque last Christmas was not great. Not terrible, but not great: very friendly staff but overall a little disorganised (full and empty tanks mixed together in same area, very old boat with very little space, lacking items we had pre-ordered and an instructor whose English was not good enough to teach Nitrox). But, of course, your mileage may vary and perhaps they were just having a bad week.