Red Sea - Season

[scubajunky17]

Hi All, I keep hearing great things about the red sea, I have dived out of Dahab, Ras mohammed, and hurgadda in January and easter and have not been that impressed. If I do a liveaboard at the end of July will I be there at peak time for Sharks etc I want to see Oceanic WT and Tigersharks. Is it all hype or what? and when is the best season to go?
Thanks in advance.

 

[Red Sea Leonfish]

Hurgadda is not as good as Sharm and Jan/Easter aren't the best times anyway.

However, June to October/early November in Sharm is pretty amazing. Personally I avoid August as it's almost too hot to enjoy yourself in the sun if you're used to a European climate (plus more expensive because of the school holidays).

 

[Solly]

check smaka (our SB mate) website WELCOME TO AZIAB it has a yearly cycle of what to expect to see for each part of the year.
Generally heading south in July/August is giving you a high probability for large pelagics but it is still a probability

 

[Crowley]

Solly's right - late August to October is when the water is the warmest and therefore the most likely time to see some of the larger pelagics in the South, the time when Oceanics are more likely to be in the area however sightings are, as Solly says, not guaranteed.

If you weren't impressed by Ras Mohamed then either you were taken to the wrong place (or in the wrong direction) at the wrong dive site, or maybe you're looking for something that you can't find here. The Reef here is one of the most impressive in the world, but if its big fish you want, then there are places in the world where you are more likely to get guaranteed sightings. The OWTs are a mystery anyway. Nobody at my centre saw one last year, and I don't recall hearing about them anywhere else in Sharm - and yet they've been quite regular here over the years before - like - a handful of sightings in a season, but fairly regular.

Hope you find what you're looking for with your diving,

Cheers

C.