Red Sea from the UK

[lktmpl]

Hi all,

Just after a little help - what is the diving like in Jan? ie some idea of vis and temperature? Whats the life like ie are their any sharks around? Would really like to see the hammerheads and possibly threshers!!!!!

Last of all - how easy is it to get from Cairo to Sharm el Sheik? All options not only plane and ideas of cost? Is it just as easy to get to the Brothers?

Thanks in advance

Luke

 

[Red Sea Shadow]

Visibility in January is generally good (about 20 meters). sometimes the visibility sucks because, I was told, it's the soft corals reproduction season (I'm not sure of that).
Average temperatures in January are:
Sea: 21°C
Day: 20°C
Night: 16°C

 

[Christian]

Luke

For threashers and hammerheads, I would look into a liveaboard visiting the off shore islands: Brothers, Dedalus, Elphinstone. I have seen hammerheads on all these reefs and a threasher a couple of times on Brothers. January is however not the ideal time as the weather can be rough. Better in late spring/summer, also for the shark sightings. If you don't fancy a liveaboard you can reach Elphinstone by daytrip from the Marsa Alam-area. Haven't heard of threasher sightings there though, but in summer there's a fair number of hammerhead sightings on the north plateau. Marsa Alam (or more exactly Ras Ghaleb) is also the normal port of departure for the off shore island liveaboards nowadays. You can fly into Marsa Alams own airstrip, or you can transfer with a minibus from Hurghada (3-4 hrs). You brits have an excellent dive travel agent in Tony Backhurst Scuba - they can set everything up for you.

good luck

/christian

 

[Red Sea Shadow]

Christian,
You're totally right. Spring/Summer is better. What I want to add is that threashers have been spotted at Elphinstone before.

 

[swisstrav]

don't count on sharks anymore. i have been several times to the red sea (mainly south) but sharks have become very rare in these days. it is always nice to see one, just don't expect to see them.

good luck

 

[Christian]

don't count on sharks anymore. i have been several times to the red sea (mainly south) but sharks have become very rare in these days. it is always nice to see one, just don't expect to see them.

good luck

There are loads of sharks in the red sea. But I agree that in the south red sea, outside Yemen, Eritrea and Djibouti, most have been caught by Yemeni shark fishermen.

/c

 

[bmaber]

Hi Luke;
The only airline alowed to fly inside Egypt is Egyptair. You can book their flights on Expidia, or by calling Egyptair's offices (phone numbers on their web site -- web site stinks by the way) Cario to Sharam only goes on certain days of the week. I think Thursday is one of the days they do fly. You might also try flying the Sharam direct from Europe and vist Cario or Luxor on a Egyptair flight out of Sharam. There is also a bus -- it takes many many hours - not recomended.