Dahab Diving; How do they get your money?
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If you're going to quote me, read the whole quote.
Plus I left dahab end of 2009 and it was virtually impossible to get in the water without a dive guide in Dahab.
Which dive centre do you work for that allows this?
Do you have the link for this? As I've been on the CDWS website and cannot find it.
BjFaeTorphins
Registered
I've done a bit of shore diving in Dahab over the last couple of years. The dives are really special and it's good value for money.
Initially the operator insisted that we take a guide, but when they got to know us they let us dive on our own.
Some of the sites are accessed via land that is owned by someone. I believe the land at the Blue Hole, for example, is owned by Bedouin and can only be accessed by 4x4 and requires permissions (i.e. the land-owner gets paid) both of which are arranged by the operator.
We've also gone off the beaten track. The operator provided us with tanks and emergency oxygen and permissions and let us go off on our own.
I thought it was all perfectly reasonable and very good value for money.
Initially the operator insisted that we take a guide, but when they got to know us they let us dive on our own.
Some of the sites are accessed via land that is owned by someone. I believe the land at the Blue Hole, for example, is owned by Bedouin and can only be accessed by 4x4 and requires permissions (i.e. the land-owner gets paid) both of which are arranged by the operator.
We've also gone off the beaten track. The operator provided us with tanks and emergency oxygen and permissions and let us go off on our own.
I thought it was all perfectly reasonable and very good value for money.
Diving in Dahab is not that expensive, you should go there and see for yourself before you start questioning those that have been there or are there... I have been there and it is worth way more that you are going to spend to see what is there.
macrobubble
Contributor
The fact that you don´t have a permission from a licenced operator. These permits are collected in the north by patroling policemen, in the south by a checkpoint which you have to pass. Lighthouse and Islands are possible, though, the whole south, Blue Hole and Canyon are not.
Checkpoints and police in the north, harbouroffice (army)/checkpoint in the south.
No, reputable divecenters will not rent you tanks and let you go on your own. They would be fully responsible, if someone diving with their gear would have an accident and no licenced staffmember is at the site. Would be a major problem for them.
I have personally witnessed a group of divers being taken by the police for questioning to the office because they were at the Blue Hole without permission from a licenced operator.
On the Saudi side of the Red Sea you can almost dive anywhere, as long as it is not a Military or Private area, without any guides.
Red Sea is something quite big, not everywhere they tell you stories about guided dives.
Eilat, for example you only need to show logbook with dive within 6months, get gear and dive without guide. however, you must have insurance and that's by a real law.
Other places, like Aqaba, may let you dive alone but only if you pay for the guide to sit on shore. consider the price as "transportation fees", just like they told you in Dahab.
It is worth the price anyway...
I have been to Dahab half a dozen time but it has been a few years. We were never asked for anything other than out cert cards and we rented tanks from Nesima where we stayed. We hired local pick up drivers that hawk in front of the entrance and went to all the places and dived. The first time I went there was someone who had been to all the spots before. The truck was like 6 or 7 dollars for the whole day. we also dived the Nesima house reef at 1 AM one night. we never had a guide or were we ever on a tour.
NESIMA RESORT
NESIMA RESORT
In Florida you live in a free democracy, I am guessing you don't know much about the middle east but it isn't the same, the freedoms aren't all present or as free. Adherence to the rules is much more strict outside the US. Even in Spain there are some strict rules about who can and where they can dive. If the freedom to do exactly as you please is that big a deal to you then you probably should stay in Florida.
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