Trip Report MY Sea Legend - BDE Route

[scubajasonr]

I did my trip on the Red Sea Aggressor I, that caught fire and sank, killing one passenger in November 2019. I'm not sure of the itinerary the Red Sea Aggressor III does for BDE

The first time I did this route it was on Suzanna 1 in 2003. Suzanna 1 became Red Sea Aggressor 1 some years later. On that trip we did a total of 19 dives.

It looks like you had a good dive schedule when you were on RSA. I am not aware of any boats offering that number of dives on BDE now.

 

[dflaher]

Thanks for the writeup!

 

[Parlem]

The first time I did this route it was on Suzanna 1 in 2003. Suzanna 1 became Red Sea Aggressor 1 some years later. On that trip we did a total of 19 dives.

It looks like you had a good dive schedule when you were on RSA. I am not aware of any boats offering that number of dives on BDE now.

This must have been back when boats were allowed to overnight at the Brothers, etc.

 

[scubajasonr]

This must have been back when boats were allowed to overnight at the Brothers, etc.

It has only been fairly recently that overnight mooring at the Brothers has been banned (maybe end of 2019?) so back in 2003 no mooring restrictions at all. Even in 2003 night diving wasn't allowed at the off shore sites, although I think it was allowed when liveaboards first started visiting these islands.

 

[dflaher]

Just curious: what is the reason for no overnight mooring? And does that apply to just Brothers or other sites?

 

[scubajasonr]

There was a spate of divers being bitten by oceanic white tips at The Brothers. At the time you would always see oceanics under the moored boats. I dived there a few years in a row and it was noticeable that the sharks were getting more and more inquisitive, and also more aggressive. I think three or four people got bitten (luckily no fatal bites), so the authorities banned all diving at the two islands for several months. One of the reasons given for the change in behaviour was the moored boats discharging food waste into the water, this was then turning on the sharks feeding instincts and causing the change in behaviour. When diving reopened at the Brothers it was on the agreement that no overnight mooring would take place. It seems to have worked as oceanic whitetips are no longer seen at the two islands. No issues with mooring at Daedalus.

 

[nippurmagnum]

Thanks for the thoughtful and detailed review. I have been considering doing the same itinerary on the same boat (in early December), and there are some issues you described that concern me. Would appreciate your thoughts on the following:

(1) Was the nitrox blending issue you described a function of their membrane system being down temporarily, or did it seem to be their standard approach?

(2) Do you think this BDE route is worth doing given the boat congestion and hit/miss shark encounters? I’ve seen schooling hammerheads elsewhere, as well as a couple of oceanic white tips. My main reason for doing BDE is that I’ve done a North+Brothers trip and a St. John/Fury trip before, and it seems like BDE is the one other ”classic” itinerary that I haven’t done. But I’m wondering if I shouldn’t just do another trip to the north + brothers.

(3). Did the crew on the Sea Legend seem safety minded? I had a great trip on the sister ship Tillis but I will say that at the time the crew seemed rather blasé about safety, including being oblivious to the lower deck escape hatch being both painted shut and blocked by crew bunk beds.

Thanks!

 

[scubajasonr]

(1) Was the nitrox blending issue you described a function of their membrane system being down temporarily, or did it seem to be their standard approach?

I am really not sure. Any questions about the fill % was met with a shrug of the shoulders. I would have thought that if the membrane system was running it would be more consistent. Although we did have tanks not being filled with nitrox when it had been requested, so it wouldn't have made a difference for those fills.

(2) Do you think this BDE route is worth doing given the boat congestion and hit/miss shark encounters? I’ve seen schooling hammerheads elsewhere, as well as a couple of oceanic white tips. My main reason for doing BDE is that I’ve done a North+Brothers trip and a St. John/Fury trip before, and it seems like BDE is the one other ”classic” itinerary that I haven’t done. But I’m wondering if I shouldn’t just do another trip to the north + brothers.

Yes I think it is still worth doing. It is just a shame that boats can't moor overnight at the Brothers as this increases the number of divers at Daedalus. The diving in the blue can be hit and miss, it is possible to be in the blue for the whole dive and not see anything, yet the next dive there can be hammerheads etc. The coral walls are stunning, at times I would rather dive on these, rather than hanging in the blue hoping to see something.

(3). Did the crew on the Sea Legend seem safety minded? I had a great trip on the sister ship Tillis but I will say that at the time the crew seemed rather blasé about safety, including being oblivious to the lower deck escape hatch being both painted shut and blocked by crew bunk beds.

The safety aspect seemed reasonably okay, we didn't have any real issues during the trip. We were in an upper cabin so didn't check saftey hatches. The boat briefing did cover escape routes and about charging batteries. I have been on boats were there has been a bigger focus on safety, but both times that focus has been driven by a German dive guide running the trip.

 

[dflaher]

My main reason for doing BDE is that I’ve done a North+Brothers trip and a St. John/Fury trip before, and it seems like BDE is the one other ”classic” itinerary that I haven’t done. But I’m wondering if I shouldn’t just do another trip to the north + brothers.

Does this mean you wouldn't do another St John's/Fury trip again?

 

[MB NZ]

(2) Do you think this BDE route is worth doing given the boat congestion and hit/miss shark encounters? I’ve seen schooling hammerheads elsewhere, as well as a couple of oceanic white tips. My main reason for doing BDE is that I’ve done a North+Brothers trip and a St. John/Fury trip before, and it seems like BDE is the one other ”classic” itinerary that I haven’t done. But I’m wondering if I shouldn’t just do another trip to the north + brothers.

I'm booked on to North & Brothers later this year. The northern wrecks are very scenic and great for photographers. The Brothers are (or at least can be) exciting and challenging diving. Ticks my boxes.