Route change from BDE to North

[Scuba-74]

1) your chances of seeing large animal species in the north are small to very small, but you will see abundant coral and plenty of smaller species.
2) "North and Ras Mohamed", if you are departing from Hurghada, will usually involve wrecks (strait of Gubal, Abu Nuhas) and reefs (Ras Mohamed), perhaps 50-50, even.
3) I'm pretty sure that, weather permitting, the route will include the Thistlegorm and Shark & Yolanda Reef in Ras M. The latter is one of my favourite dive sites ever. I've dived it a dozen times and will not tire of it. December will typically mean fewer boats so a more pleasant experience, overall.
4) Being winter, you won't have the massive presence of schooling fish in Ras Mo but it should still be very nice, in my opinion.

Hi Parlem, thank you for these insights!

Yes, we're departing from Hurghada. The liveaboard.com has responded with more detail on the itinerary, they've listed the following, focusing largely on wrecks (it seems to overlap a lot with the locations you've mentioned):

1. Thistlegorm
2. Abu Nuhas (4 wrecks)
3. Dunraven
4. Shark & Jolanda
5. Tiran
6. Jackson Reef

I'm looking forward to it now. Wrecks is my favorite type of diving. I was looking forward to finally diving with longimanus and hammerhead, but alas.

 

[Scuba-74]

I will dive there daily from 31.12.

Our trip is Dec 7-14

 

[Dan]

Tillis

Oh no!

Have you read this?

Unknown Post in thread 'Sea Story lob sinks'

Nov 30, 2024

Are these LOB “accidents” widely reported in US mainstream news ?

Most divers are not on Scubaboard.

My first Egyptian liveaboard was the Tillis, and I boarded it just months after the Conception fire, which had (briefly) made the news in the United States, and had been heavily discussed on SB. So I was very mindful of the importance of ensuring an unobstructed escape hatch, especially because I had a lower deck cabin, and I demanded to see the hatch actually opened on the Tillis. Not one of the Egyptian crew, nor any of the other divers, had heard of the Conception news, and...

• nippurmagnum

• 
• 

Unknown Post in thread 'Sea Story lob sinks'

Nov 30, 2024

Of that $1,200, how much goes to food, crew salary, the boat, profit, port fees and taxes?

Suppose $200 is food, $200 crew salary, $400 boat, $200 profit, $200 port fees and taxes. Increasing crew and boat by 50% above the bare minimum to even set sail, and you aren't cutting any safety issues to save money. That puts you at $1500, which is still much cheaper than a comparable trip anywhere else in the world, and it doesn't even factor in the enormous losses the operator saves in both property and future business from preventing accidents.

I'd bet corners are being cut somewhere...

• nippurmagnum

• 
• 

P

Thread 'Sea Legend sunk?'

Mar 7, 2024

Hi!
There is a review on Trip Advisor claiming Dive Pro's Sea Legend sank in late February:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g297549-d15398534-Reviews-Dive_Pro_Liveaboard-Hurghada_Red_Sea_and_Sinai.html

I've heard nothing about it. Can anyone confirm?

• Parlem
• Replies: 3
• Forum: Red Sea

 

[Scuba-74]

Oh no!

Have you read this?

Unknown Post in thread 'Sea Story lob sinks'

Nov 30, 2024

Are these LOB “accidents” widely reported in US mainstream news ?

Most divers are not on Scubaboard.

My first Egyptian liveaboard was the Tillis, and I boarded it just months after the Conception fire, which had (briefly) made the news in the United States, and had been heavily discussed on SB. So I was very mindful of the importance of ensuring an unobstructed escape hatch, especially because I had a lower deck cabin, and I demanded to see the hatch actually opened on the Tillis. Not one of the Egyptian crew, nor any of the other divers, had heard of the Conception news, and...

• nippurmagnum

• 
• 

Unknown Thread 'Sea Story lob sinks'

Nov 25, 2024

Sixteen missing after tourist boat sinks in Red Sea

Egyptian officials say 28 people from the vessel have been rescued after it sank on a five-day trip.

www.bbc.com

• chillyinCanada
• Replies: 428
• Forum: Accidents, Incidents, & Near Misses

• 

Hi Dan,

Yes, I'm well aware of all this (Concepcion, Tillis safety, Sea Story being from the same op as the Tillis). My dive buddy has been in communication with the user who posted that. We'll keep that in mind. Already began by booking a cabin on the top deck.

 

[Dan]

Also read up about Sea Legend.

 

[Valerii Vakshul]

Жить на борту или на суше?

Shore and daily diving only, Sharm, Ras Mohammed, Tiran, Dahab

 

[BoltSnap]

Shore and daily diving only, Sharm, Ras Mohammed, Tiran, Dahab

I wish I were diving with you

Have great time there!

 

[scubadada]

Hi @Scuba-74

I would be very interested in knowing why the BDE route was canceled, particularly as it involves the Dive Pro Liveaboard boat, Tillis. Did you ask LiveAboard.com this question?

I noticed that the Tillis is running at a 30% discount, just $732 for the BDE route. Seems like no coincidence. Is your trip Dec 7? Did you pay the previous price?

 

[Scuba-74]

Hi @Scuba-74

I would be very interested in knowing why the BDE route was canceled, particularly as it involves the Dive Pro Liveaboard boat, Tillis. Did you ask LiveAboard.com this question?

Hi scubadada,

Their initial email stated the official reason: "due to unfavorable conditions in the BDE area, the operator has made the difficult decision to adjust the routes to North and Ras Mohamed".

I'm sure if I started prying whether it was related to the sinking of the Sea Story, regulatory pressure, or something else, I would get a no-answer, especially from the booking site, not the op itself. I might learn more from the crew while on the boat next week, although I doubt that.

 

[Scuba-74]

I noticed that the Tillis is running at a 30% discount, just $732 for the BDE route. Seems like no coincidence. Is your trip Dec 7? Did you pay the previous price?

They had these discounted prices when we booked back in October. Yes, our trip is Dec 7, and I have noticed yesterday that they still show BDE as the route, even after notifying us of the change.

We paid slightly more than shown because we got a top-deck cabin, but no, these prices haven't changed since October in light of the recent events.