Marsa Alam- experience anyone ?

Been offered a place on a liveaboard out of Marsa Alam in August on a boat called Pisces . Anyone have any experience with the operator / boat or the area in general ?

Any help will be appreciated .

Safe Diving

Andrew

Andrew

Don't know the boat, but have been in the area on other boats several times.

Some of the best diving in Egypt is to be had around Marsa Alam. One of my favourites, and many others, is Elphinstone reef. You should have good chances of spotting schooling hammerheads of the reefs north point in this time of year. Also grey reef sharks. If you like deep diving, there's 'the arch' below the south plateaux - a 55+ metre dive.

There are also good diving in the fury shoal to the south, with Sha'ab Manshur as my favourite. Another of my favourite reefs in the area is Radir East, less famous than the others but beatiful with lots of fish and usually some white tips. If you do go further out to sea, Dedalus Reef is a fortress in the sea. A circular reef, about 500 meters across, rising up from the abyss situated half way to Saudi. Usually fantastic viz. (I have had more than 50 meters) and a days diving will normally give you sharks of different spieces, usually grey reef sharks, white tip reef sharks and hammerheads, and sometimes oceanic white tips or a threasher shark. Sometimes mantas are seen as well. An then lots of fantastic coral and fish.

good luck

/christian

Christian

Thanks for the info - sounds really good , I confirmed my place on the trip today !!!

Many thanks

Safe Diving

Andrew

You'll have fun here. What's the itinerary?

Red Sea Shadow:

You'll have fun here. What's the itinerary?

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Apparently there is no set itinerary as yet , my dive club has booked the boat - it's "divers choice" so I'm looking for suggestions ! Read something about a reef that nearly always has dolphins - any info ?

Safe Diving

Andrew

AndyT:

Apparently there is no set itinerary as yet , my dive club has booked the boat - it's "divers choice" so I'm looking for suggestions ! Read something about a reef that nearly always has dolphins - any info ?

Safe Diving

Andrew

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This is Samadai reef (aka Dolphin House). There're two dives there, one of them is a cavern dive. I don't recommend them; very ordinary, IMHO.

If you like strong currents, deep dives, and big pelagics, go to the golden triangle (Brothers - Daedalus - Elphinstone). If you like shallow dives with excellent coral tables, go to St. Jones.

The dives at Sha'ab Samadai aren't anything out of the ordinary, but snorkelling with the spinner dolphins which habitually spend the afternoon cruising around within the protective arc of the reef is extraordinary. I have done it several times over the past seven years and, while it has become very popular and there are too many people, it is still impressive to see 150 plus dolphins in the wild. The first year I did it there was our liveaboard – and that's it. We spent three hours in the water with over 200 dolphins and it was awe-inspiring.

As Christian said, Elphinstone rocks, and the arch is always interesting if you don't mind heading a bit deeper. But even in the shallows, the reef is alive with soft corals and reef fish, with plenty of pelagic action out in the blue.

St Johns has some nice walls and coral gardens as well, and these are little dived, so are usually pristine.

Mark

MarkUK:

The dives at Sha'ab Samadai aren't anything out of the ordinary, but snorkelling with the spinner dolphins which habitually spend the afternoon cruising around within the protective arc of the reef is extraordinary. I have done it several times over the past seven years and, while it has become very popular and there are too many people, it is still impressive to see 150 plus dolphins in the wild. The first year I did it there was our liveaboard – and that's it. We spent three hours in the water with over 200 dolphins and it was awe-inspiring.

As Christian said, Elphinstone rocks, and the arch is always interesting if you don't mind heading a bit deeper. But even in the shallows, the reef is alive with soft corals and reef fish, with plenty of pelagic action out in the blue.

St Johns has some nice walls and coral gardens as well, and these are little dived, so are usually pristine.

Mark

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Agree. I forgot to mention snorkeling at Samadai with the dolphins. There are also a place near Marsa Alam where you can see a dugong - a sea cow. I haven't seen it myself, but it sounds cool. The local guides will most certainly know where and when to look for it. Both these 'dives' are however a bit of a gamble. If the dolphins aren't there or not up to it, or if you can't find the dugong - not very interesting.

/c

Went to Mozambique just over a year ago to look for Dugongs - no luck , maybe this trip ? I will take your advice on the Dolphins - maybe an opportunity for some macro photos if they aren't there ? Overseas travel for us is expensive (poor exchange rate and expensive flights) but this one is really affordable and I'm sure it will bear repeating .

Thanks for the tips guys , keep em coming !!!

Safe Diving

Andrew

Christian:

Agree. I forgot to mention snorkeling at Samadai with the dolphins. There are also a place near Marsa Alam where you can see a dugong - a sea cow. I haven't seen it myself, but it sounds cool. The local guides will most certainly know where and when to look for it. Both these 'dives' are however a bit of a gamble. If the dolphins aren't there or not up to it, or if you can't find the dugong - not very interesting.

/c

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The dive site where you can find the dugong is Abu Dabbab. You're right; not very interesting in case the dugong is not there.