Question What is the Typical Water Temperature in Sharm-el-Sheikh Red Sea in Mid-March and the Required Wetsuit Thickness?

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There is a very good chance that I'll be going to Egypt's Sharm-el-Sheikh to dive for few days. I'd like to know what water temperature I should expect there during that time of the year please. I have read that the temperature in March is the coldest, around 21 - 22 C, but I want to check with people who have first hand knowledge of water temps there here on SB. I'll probably stay there for about a week and do 3 dives per day (depending on my other tasks while I am there).

I think that I'll most likely need a 5mm suit with a 3mm hood at least and possibly a semi-dry, what do you folks think based on your personal experience during March there please?
I learned to dive in sharm and generally dive a 3 mm shorty. The water is rarely colder than 19c and I was comfortable at at 30-40m in my short rig, no hood. Most people I dive with there opt for a 5mm full suit with a hood.
 
I just came back from diving in the Sharm El-Sheik area about a week ago and the water temperatures there were 21 - 22 C. I was wearing a 5mm suit with 5mm hood and 2mm gloves. I was OK underwater but the issue was the surface temperatures. It was sooo cold on the boat after the dives which made it very unpleasant and had to stay indoors most of the time while on the boat. We had briefings on the top deck and it was torture sitting with the cold breeze even when wearing a windbreaker. We had windy conditions most of the time limiting where we could dive. A drysuit would have been really good.

It seems that no one goes to dive there during this time of the year. Pretty much everyone there says that May is the start of the good diving season. The not so good time of the year to dive there is December to April with January to March as the worst. June to August are good to dive but the weather is very hot there.

The good news is that I won third place, bronze medal, in the first "Arab Championship for Underwater Photography" held mid-March in Sharm El-Sheik. My medal was in the "Marine Life" category. There were 24 contestants from 7 Arab countries and I had the honor to represent Libya as the sole team member for Libya. I was freezing under and above water; I wouldn't have continued to dive had it not been for the competition. Libya never had any representation in this type of competitions nor photographers who could compete in such events. This was the first participation for Libya in an underwater photography competition ever and yet we won a medal. All for God and Country and it was worth it.
 

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The good news is that I won third place, bronze medal, in the first "Arab Championship for Underwater Photography" held mid-March in Sharm El-Sheik. My medal was in the "Marine Life" category.
Congratulations! Do post your actual winning picture(s) too - unless the "marine life" is that first one of the smug looking chap with the flag? :D
 
Congratulations! Do post your actual winning picture(s) too - unless the "marine life" is that first one of the smug looking chap with the flag? :D

A handsome devil, ain't he :p


I still haven't gotten to posting my pictures from the trip yet. Ramadan started 3 days ago and been busy getting used to the new routine and sleep schedule.
 

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