Scuba diving in Eritrea
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donacheson
Contributor
Yes and no.
I dove off the "Sea Surveyor" out of Massawa across the Red Sea around islands off the coast of Yemen several years ago. The fellow who organized the trip researched the area quite a bit and had identified a couple of spots in the Dahlak Islands he thought might be interesting, but the captain didn't agree so we skipped those islands except for one checkout dive on the way across.
Travel to Massawa from Asmara is interesting and enjoyable experience - marvelous terrain! There's not much in Massawa, but it was the subject of a great WWII book: "Under the Red Sea Sun" by Edward Ellsberg.
Rembert
Registered
Hi Ladybug,
I have been to Eritrea this April 2002. Some new dive facilities are in preparation. Even the Luul Resort Hotel on Dahlak Kebir will be renewed this summer and shall be operative again in October. More than 20 dive sites are now open. Beside the usual cockroach boats for dive excursions there shall arrive a real 28 m liveaboard with 7 double cabins. Infrastructure for tourists in Massawa (transportation, accommodation) is under improvement.
You may ask me for more specified information by e-mail.
Best regards
Rembert
I have been to Eritrea this April 2002. Some new dive facilities are in preparation. Even the Luul Resort Hotel on Dahlak Kebir will be renewed this summer and shall be operative again in October. More than 20 dive sites are now open. Beside the usual cockroach boats for dive excursions there shall arrive a real 28 m liveaboard with 7 double cabins. Infrastructure for tourists in Massawa (transportation, accommodation) is under improvement.
You may ask me for more specified information by e-mail.
Best regards
Rembert
Haven't dived the area, but have dived areas in southern Sudan and also studied the area. One "problem" with the Dahlak Arhipelago is the shallow waters. Just south of the Suakin Islands in southern Sudan, the african trench with its deep blue waters juts over to the Yemeni side of the Red Sea. Therefore one can expect murkier waters, less coral and not so many pelagics in Eritrean waters compared to e.g. Sudan. Fish diversity can however be good. I would definetely be interested in a report from someone who has been there and dived.
/christian
/christian
Yes,
in March 2002 I've dived based off Massawa with Eritrean Dive Center and went to Dissei island overnight. Diving itself was very nice, especially with a lot of granite underwater landscape, much different from elsewhere in the Red Sea.
Getting and being there is a bit cumbersome, as the touristic infrastructure is almost completely missing (i.e. we had to care for ourselves food and drink and a shelter for the night). If you're out there be sure to have some large containers for your stuff as birds will try to get to your belongings, not only for food.
Pricing was sensible, equipment good.
As someone has said: Diving in ER is radically different. Yep.
-Hans
in March 2002 I've dived based off Massawa with Eritrean Dive Center and went to Dissei island overnight. Diving itself was very nice, especially with a lot of granite underwater landscape, much different from elsewhere in the Red Sea.
Getting and being there is a bit cumbersome, as the touristic infrastructure is almost completely missing (i.e. we had to care for ourselves food and drink and a shelter for the night). If you're out there be sure to have some large containers for your stuff as birds will try to get to your belongings, not only for food.
Pricing was sensible, equipment good.
As someone has said: Diving in ER is radically different. Yep.
-Hans
Hi there,
there is a highly interesting link on www.eritreadivers.com.
The pics look great, so I decide to go there, since it is not mass tourism like in Egypt and starting in Sudan.
there is a highly interesting link on www.eritreadivers.com.
The pics look great, so I decide to go there, since it is not mass tourism like in Egypt and starting in Sudan.
Chrissy,
the info on http://www.eritreadivers.com seem too good to be true. Let me know how your trip was.
-Hans
the info on http://www.eritreadivers.com seem too good to be true. Let me know how your trip was.
-Hans
Chrissy,
if you want to have a'preview' of Massawa and Eritrea, see my page
http://homepage.mac.com/drhanso/Eritrea_2002/Menu8.html
-Hans
if you want to have a'preview' of Massawa and Eritrea, see my page
http://homepage.mac.com/drhanso/Eritrea_2002/Menu8.html
-Hans
nipi
Contributor
I have been with Eritrea Divers to the Dhalak Isls & highly recommend the trip. Loads of fish life.
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