Red Sea Liveaboard Itinerary - Where to Go South

[jplander]

I am coming to Egypt to dive the Red Sea from California in June 2006. The 3 one week itineraries that are available to me are the following (all by liveaboard):

1) St. Johns reef system
2) Brothers, Daedelus and Elphinstone
3) Daedalus, Rocky, Zabargad

Which would you do in June for varied topography and pristine and uncrowded diving? This is likely to be my only trip there as it is far and there are so many places I want to go.

Any help you could give would be so helpful.

Any comparisons to the places I have been would also be helpful: Roatan, Galapagos, Cocos, Palau, PNG, Solomons, of course California!

 

[Red Sea Shadow]

St. Johns is one of the best dive spots on earth.
Brothers and Elphinstone require really good divers. Deep with very strong currents yet are wonderful.
Daedalus, Rocky, and Zabargad are also good with strong currents but not as good as Brothers and Elphinstone.

If it's your only trip here, I recommend St. Johns.

 

[mania]

St JOhn is great but I love Brothers....
They are difficult - currents there may reach even 5 knots. But what a life...
And big animals - plenty of.

anyway - go to Egypt - Red Sea is much better than other places you mentioned
Mania

 

[Red Sea Shadow]

St JOhn is great but I love Brothers....
They are difficult - currents there may reach even 5 knots. But what a life...
And big animals - plenty of.

anyway - go to Egypt - Red Sea is much better than other places you mentioned
Mania

Mania seems that you know every inch of Egypt. Not only Dahab, Sharm, and Hurghada but deep south as well.
So when is your next trip to Egypt? Where will you be diving?

 

[mania]

That very much depends. Normally I would come at the end of April. Probably Sharm but it may be Hurghada for Fundementals.
But this alos depends on my bank account as in July I'm going to Florida to finally meet in person some SB MODs and members.
And of course I'll be diving so it may limit my other expenses

Mania

 

[Christian]

When coming all the way from the states, you should really go for two weeks. There are 14-day itinerarys which take in all the areas you mention in one single trip. If I could only go for a week I would chose Brothers, Deadalus, Elphinstone. I've been to all the places and sometimes Dedalus is best, sometimes Elphinstone ... But Brothers is more varied with a couple of wrecks as well. Brothers is simply the jewel of the Egyptian Red Sea inmo. You will not be alone there, however. But since it's a liveaboard destination only and not suitable for inexperienced divers, it escapes a lot of the heat. St Johns is a very nice area and perhaps the least visited. But there are not as dramatic walls and pelagic action of Brothers, Dedalus, Elphinstone or Rocky Island due to the simple fact that the surrounding waters are much shallower.

You picked the right time. June is perfect.

good luck

/c

 

[jplander]

Thanks everyone. I will do the Brothers, Elphinstone and Daedalus itinerary. I'll let you know how it was in late June when I return.

 

[MRs2]

I think you made the right decision there. Brothers is in the Egyptian Red Sea the best in my opinion. Not only the animals, but there are also nice corals.

At Deadalus I also always had good dives.

Last time I was at Elphinstone it was not very interesting, but the time before a hammerhead came swimming over the platform at the end of the dive. I was looking at the small life at the top of the reef wall when it came over and then just behind us to see what we were doing. Previous times at Elphinstone was always good too.

But you will certainly not be alone. Some years ago you could be the only boat anchored at one of the Brothers, and maybe swap places with the one boat at the other Brother, but it is not like that any more. Just get up early, and try to get in an hour before the other boats drop their loads.

Have a good time.

 

[bayswaterbabe]

....... Which would you do in June for varied topography and pristine and uncrowded diving? .....

Any comparisons to the places I have been would also be helpful: Roatan, Galapagos, Cocos, Palau, PNG, Solomons, of course California!

If you are looking for pristine and uncrowded diving, I'm afraid you won't find that at the Brothers and Elphinstone. The 2 Brother islands are tiny but will have 15-20 boats moored up at close quarters at each of them at any one time. Elphinstone will have even more as it is within reach of the day-boats. However, if it is varied diving you are seeking, then you've made the right choice. The shark action at both places can be stunning. On my last trip, we saw hammerheads, grey reefs and threshers at the Brothers and oceanic white-tips at Elphinstone. Mantas are also frequent visitors. There are also 2 interesting wrecks on Big Brother, the Aida II and the Numidia. However, seeing as you've been to the Galapagos, Cocos and Palau, you might be a tad disappointed.