It's an interesting thought. I carry a PLB when diving in NZ and Australia. I wouldn't rate my chances of getting a PLB through airport security and customs in Egypt. Additionally, there is the question of who is going to rescue you, especially if lost a long way offshore (i.e. Brother Islands). Do local services have the resources, competence and will to initiate a rescue mission? This doesn't just apply to Egypt. Your own country may help, but that may come too late. Don't misunderstand me, I would rather have a PLB than not in this situation, but it is no guarantee of rescue.
Is Egypt Getting an Unfair Reputation When It Comes to Liveaboards?
- Thread starter Jay_Remi
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It's an interesting thought. I carry a PLB when diving in NZ and Australia. I wouldn't rate my chances of getting a PLB through airport security and customs in Egypt. Additionally, there is the question of who is going to rescue you, especially if lost a long way offshore (i.e. Brother Islands). Do local services have the resources, competence and will to initiate a rescue mission? This doesn't just apply to Egypt. Your own country may help, but that may come too late. Don't misunderstand me, I would rather have a PLB than not in this situation, but it is no guarantee of rescue.
I base my comments on having a particularly unpleasant security guard demand that I remove the batteries from a non-electronic compass at Marsa Alam airport and the general unease surrounding electronics.
My guesstimate as an Egyptian (I wanna stopThis is the essential question that gets to the heart of the matter.
I think the next question is, “Can I be objective and am I adequately experienced to assess the readiness of the local response units?”
talking my own country but 
)Competent, very probable yes
Ready and have enough resources, very doubtful of that
My hopes with a PLB (If I get one) is to be picked up by the Saudi side tbh — I have very low faith in resource availability on our side
My guesstimate as an Egyptian (I wanna stop
Competent, very probable yes
Ready and have enough resources, very doubtful of that
My hopes with a PLB (If I get one) is to be picked up by the Saudi side tbh — I have very low faith in resource availability on our side
I can assure you, أختی, that the Saudi side is in the same or perhaps even worse shape having spent several years there in both a diplomatic and military role advising one of the nation’s ministerial security forces.
The Saudi government divides the country in three sectors and I had responsibility for advising and assisting a force of 24,890 personnel in the Western sector (Red Sea coast and inland from Jordan down to Yemen).
The Saudi Western Sector Commander whom I was responsible for advising was a trusted tribal member of the House of Saud. My teammates from the British Military Mission noted that he had a lot of confidence (candor) with me about Saudi government decisions.
I had relatively unlimited access to my US Government’s broader analysis of the coastal and maritime security forces and one of my dive buddies was from Central Intelligence (there to analyze extremists transiting between Africa, the Arabian peninsula and onward to Europe and North America).
As part of senior staff with the US Country Team I listened to the panoply of diplomatic staff talk about the topics Ambassadors care about - security (especially Hajj), political mechanisms, justice and rule of law, economy, education, public services, cultural celebrations, international festivals, tourism, etc.
In summary, my team and I had placement, access and formal responsibility to assess the readiness of one of the KSA’s security forces and their collaboration with other security forces, law enforcement, other public services and civil response organizations.
Lots of billowy blah, blah, blah to say the following:
They’re sitting on their hands and breathing through their mouths. You will likely die from exposure before a Saudi government response force picks you up. However, if a senior member of the Saudi family goes out on one of their yachts, those same sleepy-eyed security forces will spring to life and shut down the entire coast to all non-royal traffic with the efficiency of German police or train station masters.
In a brighter vein, keep up your hard work with diving. You may very well become the dive industry leader that Egypt needs to help transform from the inside. It would be very hard work. You will be fighting hundreds of years of cultural norms but it will be meaningful and rewarding work to stimulate positive change.
Sister????
Let’s not bring my gender identity into this
— I’m neither this nor that, let’s leave it at that 
(and I take no offense eitherway, just like my pseudo-anonymity)PS, nothing clever went by the data they had available to them (him)— a woman’s emoji
(they said while twirling at their beard)
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