Private guide in Dahab. What to expect?

[annlaur]

Hi everyone

Well, after a couple of years away from diving, I've deciding to go for a week in Dahab.
I've booked accommodation and dives with Inmo Divers, who get good reviews on different websites, and have asked them to hire me a private guide.

Because I haven't been diving in such a long time and am still new at it (OW and French FFESSM level 1 certified, 30 open-sea dives), I would like to do scuba review and fun dives, in shallow (30 to 50 ft) water, with easy entry/exit points (I've never done shores dives before and being a tiny woman I'm a bit nervous about having to walk in the surf and put my fins on with all my equipment on).

So my questions are :
- What sites would you recommand for me ?

- What can I expect from a private guide in Dahab ? Are they usually instructors or divemasters ? Is it OK to ask them to do some skill drills or should I take a class for that ?

- The Blue Hole and Canyons are obviously out of my league for now (and that's OK, I'd just love hovering in 30 ft of water observing the critters), but what about the camel dive ? That sounds like a fun experience, but is it OK for beginners ?

Of course I will discuss this with the dive op and the guide once I get there, but I'd love to know about your experience of the diving there beforehand.
Feel free to offer some advice.

Good bubbles to all.

 

[samaka]

I think the best thing is to contact some one who lives and work there to get the right info. Of course we have an exoert on that side in Red Sea Shadow http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/private.php?do=showpm&pmid=1906742 who would probably be happy to help...

At least is that how it works here on the Hurghada side. I see people answer questions about this side after one or two hollidays here and sometimes it's funny and I laugh sometimes it's wrong or missleading answers and I almost get scared...

On the Dahab side I'd say Red Sea Shadow is the man to ask to get proper useful info.

...a...

 

[annlaur]

Thank you for the post Samaka. I'll pm Red Sea Shadow later today.

 

[samaka]

No worries girl...

If you feel like coming back to Egypt and see this side just let me know and I'll sort everything out for you. Have a look at my website WELCOME TO AZIAB where you find some Red Sea Information...

Have a great holiday!

...a...

 

[Red Sea Shadow]

Thanks for these nice words samaka

Anne-Laure,
I recommend easy sites the first day (Moray Garden or Lighthouse) to do a check-out dive or, if needed, a one-day two-dives SCUBA review.

Private guides could be either instructors or divemasters. The guide will be diving with you alone so you'll have all his attention. You can ask to do the skills you want but in some cases you might be charged more (some operators charge like 10 Euro more for the check-out dive).

The Blue Hole and the Canyon might NOT be out. These sites could be done in several ways and if the guide is good he'll tailor a dive plan according to your experience (yes they could be done on shallower depths).

The camel dive safari is a blast but again it all depends on the guide. Some sites are extraordinary but some others are worthless so the main factor is the guide.

A final word about Dahab and shore diving; it all depends on sea conditions. There's no boat to pick you up or a zodiac to follow you. Shore diving is about predefined entries and exits. You couldn't miss the exit so it all depends on the guide who must be knowing the sea conditions and what currents to expect.

 

[Lord Melch]

Well, after a couple of years away from diving, I've deciding to go for a week in Dahab.

:dance3: That was a Good move !! Life is looking up then

(I've never done shores dives before and being a tiny woman I'm a bit nervous about having to walk in the surf and put my fins on with all my equipment on).

NOT a problem in Dahab the sea is warm calm and beautiful - obviously further out waves can be found for Windsurfing fun..
Your instructor (buddy) will I'm sure be glad to give you a balancing hand while you put your fins on..

The Blue Hole and the Canyon might NOT be out. These sites could be done in several ways and if the guide is good he'll tailor a dive plan according to your experience (yes they could be done on shallower depths).

+1

A good idea of all the sites can be found here :

The Canyon / The Fish Bowl - Diving Red Sea, Dahab, dive site directory

You MUST dive "The Islands" say Hi to the big group of Barracuda (they are very friendly) you can hover and they will swirl around you.. Beautiful.. If you fancy another great one try Eel Garden to the Lighthouse. Then when totally buzzing from the amazing viz and sites relax on the beach with a cool mix milkshake and top up your tan

 

[annlaur]

Thanks for these nice words samaka

Anne-Laure,
I recommend easy sites the first day (Moray Garden or Lighthouse) to do a check-out dive or, if needed, a one-day two-dives SCUBA review.

Exactly what I have planned with Inmo. I figured 2 dives wouldn't be too much to review the basics (signals, skills...), do the weighting (especially with those AL tanks... I wonder why they use those, wouldn't steel be more appropriate in such salty water ?) and getting the "sensations" back. I'm a nervous person and I know it will take a couple of dives to feel comfortable in the water.

Private guides could be either instructors or divemasters. The guide will be diving with you alone so you'll have all his attention. You can ask to do the skills you want but in some cases you might be charged more (some operators charge like 10 Euro more for the check-out dive).

I will be charged 15 extra €/dive for the privilege of diving with a private guide (doesn't matter if it's a check-out or fun dive). To be honest, although I am far from being rich, money is not an issue for me when it comes to safety. Lesson learned from a previous experience on a cheap cattle boat in Hurghada. So I guess my question is : what's the "etiquette" when you hire a private guide. Is he just supposed to show you the good stuff and lead the dive, or is it OK to ask for more, ie give me advice on my diving and do drills with me at the safety stop ?

The Blue Hole and the Canyon might NOT be out. These sites could be done in several ways and if the guide is good he'll tailor a dive plan according to your experience (yes they could be done on shallower depths).

Good to know. I'll play it by ears, depending on how comfortable I feel both in my own diving and with the guide. I don't want to jump in over 200 meters of blue water if everything doesn't seem perfectly right. I can always come back and I'll be perfectly happy if I "only" see fish and coral on a reef in 40 ft of water. Although a seahorse and a shark would be nice...

The camel dive safari is a blast but again it all depends on the guide. Some sites are extraordinary but some others are worthless so the main factor is the guide.

Any site you can recommand that you think would be suitable for a beginner like me?

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions. Let me know if you're in Dahab during my stay next week, I'll be happy to buy you a drink.

 

[annlaur]

A good idea of all the sites can be found here :

The Canyon / The Fish Bowl - Diving Red Sea, Dahab, dive site directory

You MUST dive "The Islands" say Hi to the big group of Barracuda (they are very friendly) you can hover and they will swirl around you.. Beautiful.. If you fancy another great one try Eel Garden to the Lighthouse. Then when totally buzzing from the amazing viz and sites relax on the beach with a cool mix milkshake and top up your tan

Great site, my Lord ! I haven't read it all yet but it looks like it has all the info I wanted about Dahab's dive sites.
I've seen an eel garden near Hurghada, they're really cool. I love barracudas too. There were lots of those (albeit small ones) where I blew my first bubbles in Mexico. They look so sharp and metal-like, always made me think I was dancing among silver swords (actually, more like as my buoyancy skills really sucked back then).
Thank you for the info.

 

[annlaur]

No worries girl...

If you feel like coming back to Egypt and see this side just let me know and I'll sort everything out for you. Have a look at my website WELCOME TO AZIAB where you find some Red Sea Information...

Have a great holiday!

...a...

Thank you. I have to admit that I didn't care much for Hurghada. Partly because I hadn't been wise at all in chosing a dive-op, but also because I'm really not a big hotel/all-inclusive resort kind of person. When and if I'm properly trained and experienced, though, I'll be likely to want to check out Marsa Alam and dive Elphinstone. Maybe do a live aboard. But that's not happening before I do CMAS 2 and Padi AOW and Rescue and I'm not ready for that yet. I've bookmarked your website though.
Godd diving to you Samaka.

 

[Red Sea Shadow]

Yes you can ask for more like giving advice on your diving and doing drills. However, you might be asked to pay extra so double check with the operator beforehand.

Regarding the camel dive safari, it's not a wise idea to just recommend a dive site and make the guide do it. He must know the sites because it's a remote area and safety should be the first, second, and third priority. Anyway, my preference is Ras Abou Galoum protected area and the sites I visit are the Triggerbay and Ras Saleh. Also take into consideration that doing a camel dive safari for just one person will be so expensive. Normally dive operators require at least 4 divers to run the safari.