Red Sea: Sterile water with wrecks?

[grazie42]

I´ve done 5 liveaboards in the red sea, something like 100+ dives.

I am not a "fish person" but...during my trips there I´ve dived with dolphins, hammerheads and napoleons. While none of that is "macro", those dives will stay with me forever.

Like others have said, there are pyjama nudi´s, spanish dancers, hawknosed bottle-fish and frogfish (depending on where you go) but as I´ve been to the PIs as well, I have to say that it doesen´t compare in terms of macro. But sterile isn´t a phrase I´d use...particularly not compared to what I´ve seen in florida and coz...I also think that one of the reasons that it isn´t well-known for macro is that most divers go there for other things...

I think your friends need to be able to "step back" from their macro-fascination to really enjoy a trip to the red sea, otherwise it just may not be the place for them...

For anyone who likes wrecks and coral-caverns the red sea is like a great amusement park...

 

[TSandM]

Thanks, Grazie! I'll keep working on them.

 

[MarkUK]

The Red Sea is certainly not sterile, and the vast majority of the wrecks are smothered in coral growth and marine life.

Compared with the Caribbean, you will see a hell of a lot more colour, reef fish species and potential big stuff. I've just done my second trip with American friends, and they were all blown away by the vis, the sheer amount of life and the 'genuine' wrecks.

I just came back from a trip to Taba Heights and we had pipefish, frogfish, seahorses, sea moths (including one barely 1/8th inch long), many different nudis and flatworms. All sorts of stuff.

It depends on where you are looking to go as to what you will see. If you do a northern itinerary, it will be mainly wrecks with some coral reefs and the odd wall. If you do Simply the Best, you will get a couple of wrecks, mainly walls, fabulous corals, better chance of pelagics, etc.

My friends loved the northern trip in July, several of them are back out again in October 2009 to do Simply the Best. And I am out there again next week! Shark season! Hurrah!

Mark

 

[Jai Bar]

If they like Frogfishes, Sea horses, Ghost pipes, Sea moths, etc...

...Send them to Eilat


Zillions of pijama slugs feasting on red sponges- but also chances to see spanish dancers and other types of wart slugs and many other.

However, one must always keep in mind that when coming for a limited time and small amount of dives you'll have to rely on luck as well as a keen eye. This is true for almost everywhere. There's plenty of "macro stuff" but you need the time to get acquainted with the "local population" in the reef and also being in the "right time at the right place"..

Frogfishes are really abundant this time of the year- during the last month I've been diving everyday and met several dozens of them at various locations. Most local froggies are textured in green, orange, black, yellow, red and also gray, but with luck one may find also more interesting colors.