Blue O Two - Blue Fin trip report - Hurgahada

[Belushi]

Bloody hell!!
A thresher, a hammerhead AND a Manta??

I would have forgiven them almost anything for that little trio and I live here in Egypt!!

The boat issue is with the agent. Taking photos of the cabin, the conditions of the structure of the boat would have helped you get a sympathetic ear.

Although I appreciate you paid a lot of money, the weather, the number of boats and the lack of night diving are things that the crew have no control over.

The skipper is very limited as to the permissions he gets. It used to be that you could only dive the Brothers from Hurghada (6 hour boat trip) and the South from El Quesir, when the Brothers is spitting distance from El Quesir.

You have been unfortunate, but I think that you were not ready enough for the trip.

 

[Scared Silly]

After having read the OP comments and taking what I will admit to be a quick look at the live-a-board website I think comments about not doing proper research are a bit harsh. Especially because most of those comments are coming from people with far more knowledge about Red Sea diving than the OP.

For instance, many times folks just do not know what to expect and therefore are not sure of what questions to ask. Case in point the night dives. Although I have done some diving in the Red Sea I did not know that there was no night diving in the parks and there is nothing about that on the website that I can find. Similarly regarding the travel time between sites. About the crowded conditions on some sites no operator is going to mentioned that. You learn about that after visiting.

Dive services want to hype their operations and build things to be the greatest thing since sliced bread, but in the they also need to make sure there some reality in it so that customers have a realistic expectation.

Here is an example - "A checkdive / orientation dive is requested by STINAPA, the Bonairian foundation that takes care of all the natural environments on and around the island. After signing in we'll give you a short briefing about dving on Bonaire, your first dive will be on our housereef, which is not the most beautiful site on Bonaire but defenitely no punishment either!"


I will have to say that if I got a room that had the compressor for the frig in it my first comment would I hope you have lots of ice cause that bloody damn thing aint going to running at night or while I am in my room.

 

[macray]

Scared silly,
Thanks for your comments.

i must say .......some of the replies here that suggest doing more research before our trip are wrong. we researcged extensively........and found almost no negative comments about the vessel or the company.

Little wonder........we have since tried t post on their web site and we have also tried to communicate with the company. In all instances the company Blueotwo has resisted any notion that our complaints were valid. They completely denied that any food poisoning took place and they suggested that was the case because not everyone on the boat became ill.

As to the balance of the views here that all is well .......................dream on.

Bury your head....but not the truth.

 

[Scubadad1]

I'm sorry your experience wasn't good. Most of the liveaboards in the Red Sea are good but we learn to accept some minor problems.

Don't let this put you off. Just get onto this forum in future and ask for recommendations - I for one would be happy to help as I'm sure many others will.

Despite the restrictions on night dives in the marine park we have always had plenty of diving and usually there is the offer of a night dive when you leave the park.

Hope you have better luck next time.

 

[MarkUK]

Scared silly,
Thanks for your comments.

i must say .......some of the replies here that suggest doing more research before our trip are wrong. we researcged extensively........and found almost no negative comments about the vessel or the company.

Little wonder........we have since tried t post on their web site and we have also tried to communicate with the company. In all instances the company Blueotwo has resisted any notion that our complaints were valid. They completely denied that any food poisoning took place and they suggested that was the case because not everyone on the boat became ill.

As to the balance of the views here that all is well .......................dream on.

Bury your head....but not the truth.

I wasn't implying you hadn't researched the vessel in question, I meant you'd gone into the trip without the appropriate information/knowledge and hadn't looked into that particular itinerary. If you had, you'd know that the marine park trip involves long sailing times, and that no night dives are permitted in the offshore marine parks, so generally if you get one, or maybe two night dives, on an itinerary (when the boat is outside the marine parks), you should consider yourself lucky. If you went to the Egyptian Red Sea to see masses of sharks, again, if you see a handful of hammerheads, you are doing well, and to get a thresher and a manta as well is not bad going. If you wanted four dives a day guaranteed, then a northern wreck safari would have been a better bet, but then you could have waved goodbye to any potential shark sightings.

Any problems with the boat, crew, etc, then you have a right to be upset, and I never said you didn't, but before you contemplate any other liveaboards, it might be a good idea to check out the suggested itineraries independently to see if they will fit in with what you are wanting.

Mark