Liveaboard options for Red Sea in July

[karnold]

Hi all, I'm looking to book a liveaboard for July in the Red Sea - ideally I'd like to get to the northern wrecks as well as Brothers to see some pelagics and reefs. I'd also like to more generally become a better diver, whether than means taking a GUE Fundies course (it seems slightly cult-esque so I'm a bit reluctant), or starting down the path to technical diving in overhead environments. Right now I have about 170 dives in a variety of conditions (about half easy tropical dives, the other half cold water/drysuit/strong current/rough conditions) and am AOW and Rescue certified, for whatever that's worth.

Any suggestions on Red Sea liveaboards where I could push myself and do some additional formal training? I've looked into Red Sea Explorers, and they seem like potentially a really good fit, but I'm having trouble getting them to respond to emails.

 

[Parlem]

Hello!

The only courses taught on Red Sea liveaboards I've been on, as far as I could tell, were Nitrox and/or AOW. The 3-4 dives-per-day regime does not leave time for much else. And, to be perfectly honest, I always had some doubts about the standards of AOW courses in that setting, as they often seem merely a way to justify taking OW divers below 18m (pretty inevitable if you're diving the Brothers and the wrecks of Abu Nuhas, for example). Typically guides/instructors are too busy and too few for you to get your money's worth.

My advice would be to further your training somewhere land-based, not on a liveaboard in the Red Sea.

I hope this is of some use to you.

 

[karnold]

Thanks, that's super helpful - I had been a bit concerned about the timing of squeezing in training while keeping up the pace of dives on a liveaboard, so good to hear from you about that as well. I may look into taking some time in Dahab then, before a liveaboard, to do some additional training.

 

[also_anon_dc]

Liveaboards don't combine the northern wrecks and Brothers into one itinerary. I'd recommend a Brothers itinerary on liveaboard and then land based to see the northern wrecks and do whatever training you want to do.

 

[Christian]

Liveaboards don't combine the northern wrecks and Brothers into one itinerary. I'd recommend a Brothers itinerary on liveaboard and then land based to see the northern wrecks and do whatever training you want to do.

Blue o Two used to offer ”North & Brothers” — I think that was the name. Probably other operators too. So not correct info. I have done Abu Nuhas—Thistlegorm—RasMo—Tiran Strait—Brothers with BoT. There are yearly variation on what’s offered though. July generally good for all itineraries, esp RasMo, Tiran and Brothers.

 

[Mod63]

Liveaboards don't combine the northern wrecks and Brothers into one itinerary. I'd recommend a Brothers itinerary on liveaboard and then land based to see the northern wrecks and do whatever training you want to do.

I have done Brothers and the northern wrecks (including Rosi Möller on one of the trips) on Golden Dolphin; it usually works out if it is a 2 week trip.

 

[also_anon_dc]

Well I stand corrected! I'll say that I've never seen that itinerary before so although it exists it is probably rare. The one week itineraries are much more common.

 

[Christian]

North and Brothers was a one week.

 

[drrich2]

I'd also like to more generally become a better diver, whether than means taking a GUE Fundies course (it seems slightly cult-esque so I'm a bit reluctant), or starting down the path to technical diving in overhead environments.

It's a tangent to your thread; since you brought up GUE Fundies, here's a thread called Why are non-GUE Divers so interested in what GUE does? If you want to see a discussion with a mix of advocates and skeptics, questions and answers, it may help you get a better understanding. Disclaimer: I have no GUE training. I rely on resources like this to learn about them.

 

[Parlem]

North and Brothers was a one week.

Yes, I've done that route in one week, too. In 2021.