EW1
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I loved diving in Jordan, I did beach walk in though, seemed like the whole coast of Jordan was a reef, just pull up to a beach and walk in.
Scuba Diving In Red Sea
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Hi!
Well, first I would say it all depends on what you would like to see most and what you are looking for in term of boat. In july, it's kind of a popular shoulder season as the weather is very hot but the water is perfect and europeans are on vacation. That being said, it's a great month to spot Whale Sharks, especially northern Red Sea, and hammerheads should be on some spots as well. One thing is sure, you'll get great prices, especially coming from the UKs.
As for company suggestions, there are a lot of different fleets sailing the Red Sea, my best advice would be for you to read more about the Red Sea's Best Liveaboards, pick a boat that goes on the route you want, otherwise in term of costs and amenities, there's a lot of similarities. Also if you would like to know what dive spots are best and why, this page gives Travel advice for the Red Sea plus The best dive spots!
Happy diving!
Well, first I would say it all depends on what you would like to see most and what you are looking for in term of boat. In july, it's kind of a popular shoulder season as the weather is very hot but the water is perfect and europeans are on vacation. That being said, it's a great month to spot Whale Sharks, especially northern Red Sea, and hammerheads should be on some spots as well. One thing is sure, you'll get great prices, especially coming from the UKs.
As for company suggestions, there are a lot of different fleets sailing the Red Sea, my best advice would be for you to read more about the Red Sea's Best Liveaboards, pick a boat that goes on the route you want, otherwise in term of costs and amenities, there's a lot of similarities. Also if you would like to know what dive spots are best and why, this page gives Travel advice for the Red Sea plus The best dive spots!
Happy diving!
So here goes.
The boat. The Tala is a 36 meter steel vessel designed to carry 22 divers. The boat is managed by Red Sea Explorers, a GUE facility, as is her younger brother, the Nouran.
The schedule. Ours was a bespoke trip designed for a dive club which chartered the entire boat. We started our journey in Hurghada on August 14 and returned there on August 25. The trip has started with a check dive on a local reef before proceeding South to Brothers islands, Daedalus and Elphinstone reefs, then hugging the coast on our way back towards Hughada, and spending the last six days exploring the Northern reefs and wrecks from Straits of Gubal to Ras Mohammed and Abu Nuhas. In total, we have spent twelve days diving and had the opportunity to do thirty-eight dives although no one has taken the trophy for accomplishing this. In my view, the trip was a bit too long. Several dive sites were not particularly interesting, we have spent too much time in the South, and some of us felt properly exhausted by the end of the trip. Below is a list of dive sites that we have visited with short summary of each.
The crew. There were eleven crew members and the captain; I believe three r(h)ib operators, four dive deck crew, two kitchen staff and two stewards. I honestly couldn’t praise the guys more. Dive deck operations were as efficient as possible given the circumstances (twin set divers, scooters, rather crowded deck etc). The guys driving inflatable boats were always safety-conscious and did everything in their powers to ensure the comfort and wellbeing of all guests in most challenging conditions. One of the guys has hurt himself rather badly rescuing a guest who flipped the inflatable trying to get into it on top of the reef despite having been told not to do so. The kitchen staff and stewards were always friendly and attentive. Absolutely not a single complaint. The crew are top notch.
The dive deck and equipment. The dive deck is perfectly sufficient for 22 divers using single tanks and recreational equipment. It felt small for our group which was approx. 50:50 single and twin tank divers, and several divers with scooters and stages. 32% nitrox was available, and helium could be arranged but wasn’t needed on this trip. Seven SUEX scooters were available for rent, four XJoy7 and three XJoy14. This was less than our group has hoped for but apparently several have died recently. Larger scooters could be only used twice a day due to charging issues, and at least one XJoy7 battery didn’t hold full charge. Almost all rental gear could be arranged for although some regulators were in questionable condition. All twin sets were 2*AL80, and single tanks were either AL80 or steel 15 l. Stage cylinders were available. The crew have done an amazing job making sure all tanks were filled in time. There were no incidents such as wrong mix or empty tanks labeled as full, and also no short fills. Oxygen analyzers were available.
The diving. The clients were approx. 60% technical and cave divers, 20% experienced recreational divers, and 20% comparatively new divers. We did at least three dives per day, sometimes four. While the schedule was made to allow both deep/technical and shallow/recreational diving, the group as a whole has decided to stay within 30 m depth limit and dive N32. Most diving was done in guided groups, although independent diving was almost always possible. There were two experienced guides. Briefings were given prior to each dive but were sometimes rather superficial. For example, one of the guides has taken the group of recreational divers very deep into one of the Abu Nuhas wrecks. The penetration was conducted without any preparation or briefing, and the group had no idea about the extent of penetration and indeed no option to abort the dive because open water was not directly accessible or even visible, the passages too narrow to turn around, and the way back to the point of entry unmarked and complex. This was an absurdly irresponsible dive per se but the guide should have at least informed the group about his plan instead of simply saying that the group will visit two wrecks. Some divers may have chosen not to do the dive, not to proceed into the wreck (would have been my choice), some may have taken gloves and lights with them (!!!), and yet others would have been at least mentally prepared for the complexity of the dive. The penetration ended well but the group was visibly shaken. I cannot imagine the consequences of someone getting disoriented and lost inside the wreck – or someone panicking. One of the group members was on his ninth lifetime dive.
The costs and payment. The cost of the trip was 1300 Euros, paid to organizers prior to departure. A “tech package” which includes a twin set, nitrox, unlimited use of stage(s), and three scooter dives cost 262 Euros, and extra scooter dives were 25 Euros each or 5 for 100. The suggested tip for the crew was originally 70 Euros but mysteriously increased to 150 by the end of the trip – but no complaints here; the crew were brilliant and certainly deserved it. There was also a 150 Euro extra charge which was sold to us as National Park fee but somehow appeared as “Extra Mileage Charge” or something like that on our invoices. It is noteworthy that the exchange rate on board is 1 Euro = 1 US dollar so those guests who paid in USD have ended up saving quite a bit of money. There is a credit card terminal on board but nobody really knows how to use it, and the exchange rate appears to be arbitrary. I owed X Euros, and my card was charged Y local rupees. I received a call from a panicking crew member later that night claiming that he charged me way less than he should have and that I should give this and that amount of cash to another crew member who was still on board. All in all, the trip cost me about 1800 Euros, about 200 more than expected.
So, in a nutshell: Would I do this again? In a heartbeat. Would I go with the same boat again? In a heartbeat. The Tala is uniquely positioned to satisfy the DIR crowd, and has a top notch crew. Their so-called monkey dives on scooters (single side-mounted tank, no BC or exposure suit) are a hoot. I would suggest improving dive briefings though, and keeping guided dives within the limits of ability and certification of all divers. I didn’t do many dives with the guide of the single tank group and I can’t say for sure whether or not the infamous penetration dive was an isolated incident. I have learnt my lesson though.
The boat. The Tala is a 36 meter steel vessel designed to carry 22 divers. The boat is managed by Red Sea Explorers, a GUE facility, as is her younger brother, the Nouran.
The schedule. Ours was a bespoke trip designed for a dive club which chartered the entire boat. We started our journey in Hurghada on August 14 and returned there on August 25. The trip has started with a check dive on a local reef before proceeding South to Brothers islands, Daedalus and Elphinstone reefs, then hugging the coast on our way back towards Hughada, and spending the last six days exploring the Northern reefs and wrecks from Straits of Gubal to Ras Mohammed and Abu Nuhas. In total, we have spent twelve days diving and had the opportunity to do thirty-eight dives although no one has taken the trophy for accomplishing this. In my view, the trip was a bit too long. Several dive sites were not particularly interesting, we have spent too much time in the South, and some of us felt properly exhausted by the end of the trip. Below is a list of dive sites that we have visited with short summary of each.
- Abu Ramada – Shallow reef near Hurghada. Perfect for check dive but not terribly interesting.
- Brother Islands – Rather forgettable. Wrecks are a bit deep, currents a bit strong, reefs a bit meh. This is a very obvious way station en route to Daedalus but there is certainly no need to spend two days here.
- Daedalus – Amazing place for watching big pelagics. Crystal clear water, a lot of life, nice reefs. Good sized waves and strong currents but well worth it. One day is probably enough but two ain’t bad either.
- Elphinstone – Absolutely forgettable.
- Safaga reefs – Worth the visit for the Salem Express wreck which is a very special experience.
- El Gouna reefs – The Umm Gamar reef with its small caves and pinnacles is charming. It’s a small dive site though, perhaps good for that last morning dive before returning to the marina.
- Rosalie Moller – skipped the dive.
- Thistlegorm – I’m torn on this. Glad I’ve seen the wreck but probably wouldn’t want to come back. It’s not in the best of conditions. Visibility is limited, currents strong, and there are certainly way too many divers. Penetration diving possible and encouraged but not terribly exciting. I think this wreck is done for.
- Ras Mohammed reefs – these are a bit of a blur. A lot of reefs, a few wrecks, nothing really that special. More current, less visibility. Yolanda wreck is a bit of a joke per se but the reef around it is very pretty, and the supershallow drift dive back to the boat is very relaxing. The Dunraven is an utter waste of time.
- Abu Nuhas reef – This was the grand finale. The four wrecks are all shallow and accessible, the reef is pretty, and dolphins playful. We have done five dives here and could have easily done five more.
The crew. There were eleven crew members and the captain; I believe three r(h)ib operators, four dive deck crew, two kitchen staff and two stewards. I honestly couldn’t praise the guys more. Dive deck operations were as efficient as possible given the circumstances (twin set divers, scooters, rather crowded deck etc). The guys driving inflatable boats were always safety-conscious and did everything in their powers to ensure the comfort and wellbeing of all guests in most challenging conditions. One of the guys has hurt himself rather badly rescuing a guest who flipped the inflatable trying to get into it on top of the reef despite having been told not to do so. The kitchen staff and stewards were always friendly and attentive. Absolutely not a single complaint. The crew are top notch.
The dive deck and equipment. The dive deck is perfectly sufficient for 22 divers using single tanks and recreational equipment. It felt small for our group which was approx. 50:50 single and twin tank divers, and several divers with scooters and stages. 32% nitrox was available, and helium could be arranged but wasn’t needed on this trip. Seven SUEX scooters were available for rent, four XJoy7 and three XJoy14. This was less than our group has hoped for but apparently several have died recently. Larger scooters could be only used twice a day due to charging issues, and at least one XJoy7 battery didn’t hold full charge. Almost all rental gear could be arranged for although some regulators were in questionable condition. All twin sets were 2*AL80, and single tanks were either AL80 or steel 15 l. Stage cylinders were available. The crew have done an amazing job making sure all tanks were filled in time. There were no incidents such as wrong mix or empty tanks labeled as full, and also no short fills. Oxygen analyzers were available.
The diving. The clients were approx. 60% technical and cave divers, 20% experienced recreational divers, and 20% comparatively new divers. We did at least three dives per day, sometimes four. While the schedule was made to allow both deep/technical and shallow/recreational diving, the group as a whole has decided to stay within 30 m depth limit and dive N32. Most diving was done in guided groups, although independent diving was almost always possible. There were two experienced guides. Briefings were given prior to each dive but were sometimes rather superficial. For example, one of the guides has taken the group of recreational divers very deep into one of the Abu Nuhas wrecks. The penetration was conducted without any preparation or briefing, and the group had no idea about the extent of penetration and indeed no option to abort the dive because open water was not directly accessible or even visible, the passages too narrow to turn around, and the way back to the point of entry unmarked and complex. This was an absurdly irresponsible dive per se but the guide should have at least informed the group about his plan instead of simply saying that the group will visit two wrecks. Some divers may have chosen not to do the dive, not to proceed into the wreck (would have been my choice), some may have taken gloves and lights with them (!!!), and yet others would have been at least mentally prepared for the complexity of the dive. The penetration ended well but the group was visibly shaken. I cannot imagine the consequences of someone getting disoriented and lost inside the wreck – or someone panicking. One of the group members was on his ninth lifetime dive.
The costs and payment. The cost of the trip was 1300 Euros, paid to organizers prior to departure. A “tech package” which includes a twin set, nitrox, unlimited use of stage(s), and three scooter dives cost 262 Euros, and extra scooter dives were 25 Euros each or 5 for 100. The suggested tip for the crew was originally 70 Euros but mysteriously increased to 150 by the end of the trip – but no complaints here; the crew were brilliant and certainly deserved it. There was also a 150 Euro extra charge which was sold to us as National Park fee but somehow appeared as “Extra Mileage Charge” or something like that on our invoices. It is noteworthy that the exchange rate on board is 1 Euro = 1 US dollar so those guests who paid in USD have ended up saving quite a bit of money. There is a credit card terminal on board but nobody really knows how to use it, and the exchange rate appears to be arbitrary. I owed X Euros, and my card was charged Y local rupees. I received a call from a panicking crew member later that night claiming that he charged me way less than he should have and that I should give this and that amount of cash to another crew member who was still on board. All in all, the trip cost me about 1800 Euros, about 200 more than expected.
So, in a nutshell: Would I do this again? In a heartbeat. Would I go with the same boat again? In a heartbeat. The Tala is uniquely positioned to satisfy the DIR crowd, and has a top notch crew. Their so-called monkey dives on scooters (single side-mounted tank, no BC or exposure suit) are a hoot. I would suggest improving dive briefings though, and keeping guided dives within the limits of ability and certification of all divers. I didn’t do many dives with the guide of the single tank group and I can’t say for sure whether or not the infamous penetration dive was an isolated incident. I have learnt my lesson though.
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vinegarbiscuit
Contributor
Check out the Aeolus (M/Y Aeolus). She is a damn handsome boat, and everything about the operation is absolutely first-class.
Yeah but do they have scooters?
vinegarbiscuit
Contributor
Truth be told, I never asked (I'm not yet DPV certified), but that doesn't mean they're unavailable. Aeolus caters to recreational as well as technical divers up to trimix, and I'm confident that if Captain Karim (he's a deco instructor himself) was asked to furnish a couple of scooters and work their hire into the charter rate for the full week or ten days' safari, he would be very happy to do so. He arranged to have a twinset waiting for me on the boat, as well as a keg of sorb for my husband, so I doubt he would be stumped by a request for a scooter or three.
VR78 - I see you're from Belgium - Captain Karim's wife is a lovely Belgian lady (who was also Egypt's first female dive boat captain, I believe), and she joins him on safari sometimes. French, Arabic, Spanish, Italian, and English are all spoken interchangeably on the boat, so everyone can feel right at home. (Disclosure: Captain Karim is my first cousin, but I take diving very, very seriously, and would not recommend an operation that was anything other than first class.) Feel free to PM me for more information, or post on this thread - I'm delighted to answer all questions.
VR78 - I see you're from Belgium - Captain Karim's wife is a lovely Belgian lady (who was also Egypt's first female dive boat captain, I believe), and she joins him on safari sometimes. French, Arabic, Spanish, Italian, and English are all spoken interchangeably on the boat, so everyone can feel right at home. (Disclosure: Captain Karim is my first cousin, but I take diving very, very seriously, and would not recommend an operation that was anything other than first class.) Feel free to PM me for more information, or post on this thread - I'm delighted to answer all questions.
Very disappointed in your evaluation of Daedulus,, Brothers and Elphinstone.
But but but! I really enjoyed Daedalus!
Thanks for the clarification! To which other dive locales do you compare your Red Sea experiences?Similar threads
