Just Brothers or Classic Cruise?

[ecochica]

Hey everyone!

I am planning on diving the Red Sea next December 2012 and I have an option of diving one of two routes on a liveaboard. I am much more into marine mammals, coral reefs and wildlife rather than wrecks. Would any of you be able to recommend which route to take that would give me more chance of seeing great reefs and big life??

Route One: Just Brothers: All the Brother’s Islands - Salem Express - Daedalus

OR

Route Two:
Classic Cruise: Abu Nuhas - Giftun Island - Straits of Gubal - Thistlegorm - Ras Mohamed

I thank you all in advance for any advice or help you might be able to give me!!

Sincerely,
Nicole

 

[Solly]

The first one IMHO is more into marine life and corals, Brothers islands have a couple of wrecks but they are not the main attraction, the big fish and fascinating corals are the target, Daedalus as well.... only Salem express wreck which is nice and has to be done on the way...

The second route is having good reefs as well, but more wrecks (Abu nahas and Thislegorm) but again the reef in Ras Mohamed is super and I just came from a trip where we were on the straits of gubal and I see that less traffic on the reef is making wonders !

If I am to choose I will go to the first route ...

enjoy your trip

 

[ocdiver1]

From what you describe you are looking for, definitely option 1

 

[beester]

Definately 1. I've done both... (wrecks and brothers, brothers twice). The reef life @ brothers isles is much much more pristine. You have 2 beautiful wrecks there too (aida and numidia) and can do Salem on the way back. Depending on the season you could get blown out (if wind and seastate are too high)... and that's touch luck, because brothers is the highlight of this cruise.

1st time brothers we saw, manta's, hammerhead (1), grey reefs and oceanic whitetips. 2nd time brothers we saw grey reefs and treshers. For me the red sea is the brothers cruise, daedalus and deep south. The wrecks are beautiful, and I'm an avid wreck diver (just back from Coron) but in this case seriously consider the brothers. (I dove Rosalie Moller, Giannis D, Carnatic, Salem Express, Numidia, Aida in the red sea).

 

[ecochica]

Hey guys!

Thank you so much for all of your advice!! I really really want to do Option 1 as well ("Just Brothers") but after doing more research I am not sure if I am ready for the "extreme" conditions that can come with it!?! I am a PADI Advanced diver with 54 dives since 2004 (which I know is minimum qualifications for Brothers), however, I read that the diving that area requires you to wear some signal device that alerts the boat in case you've been swept away by currents and ascended the surface! OMG just reading that almost gave me a heart attack!!! Hahaha I don't know if I am mentally and prepared for something like that to happen to me.
After mentioning this to the tour and liveaboard operator she suggested I could do this option:

Deep South - St. Johns: Shaab Samadai - Shaab Sharm - Abu Galawa - Dolphin Reef - St. Johns

Does anyone have experience with this route and would it be too dangerous for me to dive so close to Sudan?? A HUGE thank you to you all for replying and giving me your advice!! I really really appreciate it!

Sincerely,
Nicole