Question Tech diving in Red Sea North?

[stuartv]

Man! I looked back in my log. I used to dive a ScubaPro 3/2 suit all the time in 71F water and was fine.

Now, I went to Cozumel last month. The water was 82 and I was in a 5mm. And I remember splashing a couple of times and thinking the water felt cold, until I got down, my suit flooded, and I was swimming.

Hmmm....

Thanks again for the info!

 

[BoltSnap]

Just remember the cold breeze coming from the desert on the boat. Evening is worse.

 

[stuartv]

I have already warned my people it will be cool at night, with the breeze especially.

But, also, we live where it's cooler and dive in cold water pretty often. So, it might not feel as badly to us as it does to you hot-blooded MIddle Easterners...

 

[Alex Ouroboros]

Another question: Water temps.

The company gave me info that said water temps of 72F. But, it says "Hurghada water temps".

A friend who has actually done the North Itinerary in March of a previous year said the water was actually around 66F when he dived there.

What should I really be prepared for?

I’ve been out here quite a few times over the last 15yrs, I’ve done January in board shorts and rash vest but was chilly I admit, I have also taken a drysuit for the deep tec stuff but that was for buoyancy redundancy and aware of mega long runtimes, you won’t go wrong with a 5-7mm wetsuit even in winter, a 3-5 the summer.. hope it helps

 

[Alex Ouroboros]

Oh on an evening for drinkies and high jinx something like a dry robe is perfect…

 

[Parlem]

For repetitive diving in March I tend to go for a 7mm Bare wetsuit with a hood. I'm a middle-aged male who doesn't feel the cold too much. I'd say I'm pretty average, in that regard. Hope this helps.

 

[NDonahue]

…it says "Hurghada water temps".
…
What should I really be prepared for?

I shore dove Sharm al Naga last weekend (south of Hurghada) and it was cold / windy weather and 22c / 72f water temp.

I dove in 5mil but the best answer would have been a drysuit as it would have made the post dive so much more comfortable.

 

[AJ]

For repetitive diving in March I tend to go for a 7mm Bare wetsuit with a hood. I'm a middle-aged male who doesn't feel the cold too much. I'd say I'm pretty average, in that regard. Hope this helps.

For rec diving you can get away with that. For long tech dives? I would not recommend a wetsuit, but a dry suit any time. Maybe in the Philipines or somewhere like that you can get away with a wetsuit during long dives, not the Red Sea in my experience.

 

[ColinT3]

I shore dove Sharm al Naga last weekend (south of Hurghada) and it was cold / windy weather and 22c / 72f water temp.

I dove in 5mil but the best answer would have been a drysuit as it would have made the post dive so much more comfortable.

Agreed, when I've done Hurghada in March before I dived wet, in the water was fine, but the first 5 mins topside whilst de-kitting etc was a real trip down struggle street due to the wind, once out of the wetsuit, and in a poncho drying off it was ok. Most of the local instructors I know dive dry at that time of year.