Umbi Sharks Bay - Liveaboard

[hillz3]

Hi all

Wondering if anyone has any experience with the liveaboards offered by Umbi Sharks Bay - specifically the Freedom 3 on the Ras Mohamed and Tiran route? I was in Marsa Alam just around the time of the boat fire with 2 deaths, so any reflections on safety much appreciated! I'm also a solo traveller, so interested on what nationalities I'm likely to get on board (I only speak English!)

I've dived all of the proposed sites before, but interested to hear what they'd be like in October? (I know BDE would have been a good idea at this time but the timing doesn't suit as I'm meeting my partner in Dahab for the second part of the holiday)

Thanks!

 

[jborg]

I'm also a solo traveller, so interested on what nationalities I'm likely to get on board (I only speak English!)

I've been at Umbi a couple of times, though not on their liveaboard, so I can't comment on the specifics there. However, the shore-diving crowd was a random mix of Europeans; English was the primary language, except for a group of French one time...

 

[Tippytoes12]

We spent the two middle weeks of October 2021 in Sharm and dived all of those sites plus the Thistlegorm and the Dunraven. They were wonderful, the water temperature was about 28 degrees and the visability about 40m. It did get windier and a little cooler at the end of the second week. We have done many Egypt trips and what people fail to grasp is the enormous numbers of people who dive and snorkle the Red Sea every day, without incident. The Scuba Travel boat that caught fire was a terrible incident, but IMVHO, the unfortunate passengers who lost their lives were in the wrong place at the wrong time. This can happen with any sport or activity in life. You can do a lot to improve your own safety by being fit and careful and diving conservatively.

We have just come back from a Daedalus, Elphinstone and Safaga trip with Emperor, which we were extremely happy with. The spots were excellent, but at 36 degrees in the shade, we will go later in the year in future ! Ther is at least one weekly direct flight from Sharm to Hurgada and vice versa. There are many more via Cairo.

 

[Parlem]

Hi all

Wondering if anyone has any experience with the liveaboards offered by Umbi Sharks Bay - specifically the Freedom 3 on the Ras Mohamed and Tiran route? I was in Marsa Alam just around the time of the boat fire with 2 deaths, so any reflections on safety much appreciated! I'm also a solo traveller, so interested on what nationalities I'm likely to get on board (I only speak English!)

I've dived all of the proposed sites before, but interested to hear what they'd be like in October? (I know BDE would have been a good idea at this time but the timing doesn't suit as I'm meeting my partner in Dahab for the second part of the holiday)

Thanks!

My two diving children and I were on the Freedom VIII, Umbi's smallest liveaboard, on a mini-safari over Xmas & New Year 1999-2000. It was a small, basic boat, but excellent value for money. The crew were superb. We did Ras Mohamed and Tiran, too. On our particular trip there were US, Mexican, Swedish, UK and Catalan divers. We felt safe at all times, though I'm not sure if any crew members were taking night watch shifts. Perhaps they did, perhaps they didn't. I do know that late at night they switched off the boat's engine/generator so there was no noise (but no power) and it was very easy to get to sleep. I expect this also meant that there was a less of a fire hazard at night. All electronic devices were charged in the main salon, none in the cabins.

Our guide was a chap called Hassan, who has moved to Oonas since. He was competent and professional.

We've also dived with Umbi shore-based and the experience was equally positive.

I think October is a great time of year for Sharm, as the sea is still rather warm, but air temperatures are more tolerable than in summer. In fact, for many Sharm-based dive centres, October is high season.

I'm sure you will have a blast.

 

[hillz3]

@Parlem Thanks so much! This was exactly the insight I was looking for I’ll be booking!

My two diving children and I were on the Freedom VIII, Umbi's smallest liveaboard, on a mini-safari over Xmas & New Year 1999-2000. It was a small, basic boat, but excellent value for money. The crew were superb. We did Ras Mohamed and Tiran, too. On our particular trip there were US, Mexican, Swedish, UK and Catalan divers. We felt safe at all times, though I'm not sure if any crew members were taking night watch shifts. Perhaps they did, perhaps they didn't. I do know that late at night they switched off the boat's engine/generator so there was no noise (but no power) and it was very easy to get to sleep. I expect this also meant that there was a less of a fire hazard at night. All electronic devices were charged in the main salon, none in the cabins.

Our guide was a chap called Hassan, who has moved to Oonas since. He was competent and professional.

We've also dived with Umbi shore-based and the experience was equally positive.

I think October is a great time of year for Sharm, as the sea is still rather warm, but air temperatures are more tolerable than in summer. In fact, for many Sharm-based dive centres, October is high season.

I'm sure you will have a blast.

@Parlem