South Red Sea LOB

[phoenixyao]

I'm planning a Live on board diving trip around May'09 to south red sea - Rocky Island, Zarbagad, St. Johns, Elphinstone, etc.

I'd like to see the big fishes and big school of fishes, like hammarhead, silky shark, barracuda, dophin, manta, etc...

Is May a good season for these big fishes in south red sea? any dive sites to recommend? what's the water tempreture at that time?

And most important, any boat to recommend?

Thanks!

 

[Red Sea Shadow]

The best itinerary known for sharks is Brothers - Daedalus - Elphinstone. October through December has higher possibilities than May, especially for oceanic white tips.

 

[phoenixyao]

how about hammerhead? I heard it's more possible in summer timing?

 

[MarkUK]

I'd agree with Red Sea Shadow for time of year. However, it is all very dependent on whether Mr Shark plays ball.

Last year I did Brothers, Daedalous, Elphinstone in August and we had no sharks on Big Brother, grey reefs and a solitary hammer on Little Brother, shoals of 15-20 hammerheads on Daedalous, as well as some grey reefs, and one whitetip reef shark on Elphinstone.

I just came back from a November trip which took in Brothers, Daedalous, Elphinstone, Rocky, Zabargad, St John's and Fury Shoals. We had four threshers on the south plateau of Big Brother, grey reefs and another thresher on Little Brother, and absolutely no hammers on Daedalous. In fact, apart from a couple of oceanics which turned up under the boat, Daedalous was a damp squib in terms of sharks (first time in 11 trips that I haven't seen hammers). However, at Elphinstone I had a two-metre oceanic with me for ten minutes and it as getting very feisty (nosing strobes and DSMB, etc).

So, no guarantees for any time of year, but I would still say on the balance of trips I have made to that part of the world, the later half of the year is your best bet.

Mark

 

[phoenixyao]

MarkUK, Thanks for your information.

I've only 1 week LOB time. It seems a lot of route either go Daedalous, Rocky, Zabargad, St John's, or Elphinstone, Rocky, Zabargad, St John's. It seems I can not get Daedalous & Elphinstone together in 1 week.

According to your comments, it seems Elphinstone is better than Daedalous for big fishes?

 

[MarkUK]

Generally, I have found that Daedalous delivers more sharks than Elphinstone, particularly since they opened Elphinstone up to dayboats and even big RIBs. However, as I said, on my last trip, Daedalous was a big let down.

However, for the best chance of sharks in a one-week liveaboard trip, you want to do the itinerary Red Sea Shadow mentioned, known as Simply the Best. This will get you to Big and Little Brother, Daedalous and Elphinstone over one week. The chances of you getting hammerheads, grey reef sharks and potentially threshers and oceanics will be pretty good.

Mark

 

[phoenixyao]

Some friends said that "we must go to St John's & Rocky, because it's the best of red sea." that's why we are considering the deep south route in the beginning, not brothers. What can we get in St John's & Rocky vs. brothers?

How about other big fishes? Manta, school of barracuda, Marlin, Dolphin...? where will we get most?

they are also mentioned there is a "dolphin reef" in the way to deep south, divers can dive or swin with Dolphin, is that true?

en, it seems I need to choose between brothers & St John's first, even before Elphinstone & Daedalous choice. really hard decision...

 

[ArthurGerla]

they are also mentioned there is a "dolphin reef" in the way to deep south, divers can dive or swin with Dolphin, is that true?

This is probably Samadai, also known as "Dolphin House", a reef near Wadi Nakari. It is a horseshoe shaped reef, the inner part of which is closed off to both divers and snorkelers to protect the dolphins that live there. If the dolphins are passing in or out of the reef (sometimes in their hundreds) they pass close by, otherwise it's a long wait on the surface and a bit of a rip off.

 

[ArthurGerla]

A friend who is staying in Marsa Shagra right now reports the presence of a few oceanic whitetips at Elphinstone, and has sent a few pictures:

 

[Tricia]

Nice photos Arthur!

I had never seen this shark before, so it's real treat!

Trish