Sharm - advice/tips

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

Samsam

New
Messages
4
Reaction score
2
Location
London
# of dives
25 - 49
Hi everyone,

My partner and I are considering a week trip to Sharm next month after restrictions have loosened up and flights have started running again:

1) If you've been recently or in the past few years, how safe does the resort area feel? I know there's been a lot of investment in security to tempt people back

2) We're both fairly novice divers, I'm AOW with c.50 dives, my partner is OW and has c.10. Conscious it's a popular resort to get qualified so there must be some good easy diving, but in terms of being allowed to explore the best dive sites would we be restricted in terms of diving together if he's stuck to limits of 18m depth? From what I'm reading that might rule out Thistlegorm...I'm thinking he could do the AOW during our trip but don't want him to throw him out of his comfort zone if those dives are generally more advanced when he's starting to get into the sport

3) I also saw some of the diving is drift, how intense are the currents vs likes of Raja Ampat/Komodo?

4) Finally, thinking of staying with Camel Divers on a recommendation from a friend, thoughts? Would you stay at the hotel and dive or just dive with them?

Any advice on any or all would be amazing :)

Thanks in advance!
 
1. no particular safety problem, just keep in mind that you are not in a full vaccinated country...

2. depends on the divemaster, he will decide

3. not very strong

4. depends on your age and what you like ... and of course of the amount of money you have
 
Hi,

I just got back from a return trip to the Red Sea.

The resort areas feel incredibly safe. In fact, everywhere I was (Sharm, Hurghada, Marsa Alam/Port Ghalib, Cairo) all felt very safe. Sharm resorts have some great house reefs. You can also do some dives out in Ras Mohammed or Strait of Tiran but my suggestion is that you hire your own guide if you have a depth limit because the groups may end up going deeper. You will want to sit out the Thistlegorm because you will only be able to see the top bit of the wreck and not see the best parts or do a penetration dive with that depth limit. The currents there can also be strong, along with some swell/surge at the surface and on safety stops. I don't suggest that dive for anyone with only 10 dives. If penetrating the wreck, you will also need very good buoyancy. Some parts are quite tight and not making contact with the wreck and silting out others is important.

Some of the dives in the north can have no current, some are gentle, some are moderate. Some are so strong it's a drift dive. Not too bad as far as up and down currents (there was a little). Nothing as bad as compared to the southern areas as far as surface and underwater conditions go. On average, the current in Komodo is stronger but I think the dive sites being protected on the side of the reef without current often helps. I have no experience with Camel as we were land based with Reef Oasis after getting off some liveaboards. We stayed at the Reef Oasis Blue Bay. Their house reef is quite nice.

You will love Jackson Reef in Strait of Tiran...it's very mellow and the best parts are shallow - less than 20 meters; most of the best is under 15m!
 
Thanks for sharing, hope you had a great trip! Looking forward to Jackson Reef and sounds like Thistlegorm will have to be for another holiday
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

Back
Top Bottom