Sharm El Sheikh "local dives"

[Tigerman]

Ok Belushi! Less of the laughing at my expense! So you and Red Sea Shadow live in Dahab? If you are nice to me I may bring u over some marmite & PG Tips (although I am more of a fan of Earl Grey!)...

I cannot wait to get there! So are you a freelane Instructor or do u work for one of the dive centres?

Would you like some milk and sugar with that?

 

[Victoria]

Would you like some milk and sugar with that?

Milk yes... sugar no! Its a cardinal sin to put sugar in tea! :no

 

[spoiled]

In all seriousness, I prefer Tiran to Ras Mo. There are too many boats at Ras Mo, and a lot of divers in the water.
Its like diver soup.

Sharks bay has its own jetty and gets to tiran in 30 minutes.
much better than an hour to Ras Mo from Na'ama bay.
Tiran is the place to see large pelagics and not so many divers. Its also easier to do 3 dives a day from Sharks bay to tiran and still be back by 5pm.

You are normally going in for dive 2 when the majority of dive boats are arriving from Na'ama for their first dive.

Which dive center do you use to depart from Sharks Bay directly to Tiran? I thought all boats left from El Hadaba(?) in the old part of Sharm.. thnks

 

[Red Sea Shadow]

Which dive center do you use to depart from Sharks Bay directly to Tiran? I thought all boats left from El Hadaba(?) in the old part of Sharm.. thnks

The jetty you mean is not in Hadaba. It's called Travco Marina and is located in a place called Sharm El Maya.

Boats could sail from one of three jetties in Sharm El Sheikh; Travco, Shark's Bay, or Naama Bay. Some elite boats sail from Sharm's main jetty (the one used by Sharm/Hurghada ferries). It depends on the preference of the boat and dive center. Several centers use Shark's Bay jetty to go to Tiran and some local sites.

 

[Caulkhead]

I might actually not have the TIME to dive the supposedly best sites if I have to dive locally, thats the problem. I have other things planned as well and its not only me to consider. I really hope I do though. Guess I have to find out if I can get a local dive in during the afternoon the day I arrive or the day after or else im as Bender would put it "boned"..

I bet the message from your colleague REALLY made your day at work a lot easier

You should be able to get a dive in, in the afternoon - depending on which operator you're diving with and where you're staying. Several of the resorts that have their own house reefs, offer p.m. shore dives. To catch a p.m. boat dive you'd need to check in at the dive centre definitely by lunchtime.
Also keep in mind, most dive centres organise their boat trips in the morning, for the following day. So I'd adivse booking your place for Ras Mohammed as soon as you arrive, before you do the local dive.
Done a few very early morning shore dives myself at Shark Reef in the last couple of weeks. You won't be disappointed!!! (and the fact I can go diving there and still make it back to my desk on time (-ish) does compensate a bit for the 'whale shark' texts I'm getting from my colleagues out on the boats!).

Also wanted to say, as a 'newbie' to the Scubaboard but a regular 'lurker' on other scuba forums, I'm enjoying the vibes :blinking:!

 

[Tigerman]

Im actually hoping to have everything booked before I even drive over to the airport

 

[Scubadad1]

Yeah it is just a rip off, and to be frank quite uneccessary and a waste of a day. Some local reefs arn't actually too bad and it's often told that even whale sharks have been spotted at these sites, but I think this is an extremely rare occurance if it happens at all. Ok so you need a little more weight in the red sea but 2kgs extra should be enough for anyone, and being overweighted is no real problem. Insrtuctors sometimes keep extra weight on them during open water sessions anyway to hand out as neccessary. But this is the rule out there and one you probably have to obey. As you know I shall not be returning.

I'm glad you won't be coming back - working in Sharm it's your type we can do without.

The local sites are excellent in the main. Ras um Sid rates as good as any and a couple of weeks ago we had 4 whale sharks and a bait ball in the Gardens - an under rated site. Whale sharks and mantas are seasonal but they do appear regularly.

The reason we want people to do a local dive is because there are a lot of very poor divers who have an over rated idea of their ability. I would not take some of them anywhere near Ras Mohamed or Tiran - for their own safety.

I recently went to the Maldives and as a working instructor and just having done a liveaboard I was asked to do a check dive by the hotel dive centre - no exceptions.

Respect those working in tourist destinations - sometimes we have a lot to put up with .

 

[Tigerman]

I'm glad you won't be coming back - working in Sharm it's your type we can do without.

The local sites are excellent in the main. Ras um Sid rates as good as any and a couple of weeks ago we had 4 whale sharks and a bait ball in the Gardens - an under rated site. Whale sharks and mantas are seasonal but they do appear regularly.

The reason we want people to do a local dive is because there are a lot of very poor divers who have an over rated idea of their ability. I would not take some of them anywhere near Ras Mohamed or Tiran - for their own safety.

I recently went to the Maldives and as a working instructor and just having done a liveaboard I was asked to do a check dive by the hotel dive centre - no exceptions.

Respect those working in tourist destinations - sometimes we have a lot to put up with .

I actually work in the tourist industry myself and Im not all to sure at this time if booking my vacation in Egypt was such a great idea afterall.. I hope next week will convince me it was.

And for the record - Its not very good customer care to tell people they should piss off because theire not satisfied with their experience..

 

[Scubadad1]

Sorry Tigerman but I get fed up with people who don't know the situation ripping into dive operators. As far as I am concerned it is sometimes the right thing to do to tell it like it is - don't dish it out if you can't take it. Not getting at you but at Bluereef.

Unfortunately most whale shark sightings have now gone for the season but hammerheads still in Jackson.

I'm sure you will have a great time in Egypt - still lots to see and Shark & Yolanda reefs are still awesome.

 

[Tigerman]

Sorry Tigerman but I get fed up with people who don't know the situation ripping into dive operators. As far as I am concerned it is sometimes the right thing to do to tell it like it is - don't dish it out if you can't take it. Not getting at you but at Bluereef.

Unfortunately most whale shark sightings have now gone for the season but hammerheads still in Jackson.

I'm sure you will have a great time in Egypt - still lots to see and Shark & Yolanda reefs are still awesome.

And that helps how much when dive ops "cant guarantee there will be a boat going there"?