Diving in the Emirates & Musandam--Part I (due to size limitaions on posts)
The Emirates don’t exactly offer world class diving, but if traveling through the UAE and you find the urge to get wet, here’s the low down on my experience diving in the Emirates from Jan. 3-6, 2007:
• Jan. 3, 2007: Fujeirah (UAE East Coast trip) booked through Al Boom Diving in Dubai (5 Star PADI Gold Palm Resort). Tel: +971-4-342-2993. E-mail:
abdiving@emirates.net.ae. Website:
www.alboomdiving.com.
Professional operator. Promptly responded to all e-mails. They no longer book dives in Dubai because the dredging and building projects don’t make for good diving fish life or viz wise. They run trips to the Musandam Penninsula in Oman if they have enough people (usually on Friday) but otherwise run daily trips to Fujeirah where they operate the Dive Centre at the Al Aqah Meridien. Cost is 250 dirhams for two tanks dive if you have your own gear and just need tanks and weights. Otherwise 300 dirhams. They arrange transport to and from Dubai leaving at 6:45 AM and getting back at around 5:30 PM for an extra 100 Dirhams. Two tank dive and transport to/from Dubai includes lunch.
There is a nice, clean locker room, shower and toilet at the Al Aqah Meridien Dive Center in Fujeirah. You get there about 9:00, meet the dive guests from the hotel, suit up and board a 25 seater speedboat at 9:30. There are individual dive cubbyholes on board the boat and space for everyone to sit down but not room for dry stuff so leave it in the locker room. There are no toilets or showers on board. Juice and water provided on board.
It’s about 30 minutes to Martini Rock, a staple of UAE East Coast diving. (So called either because the rock looks like the bottom of a Martini bottle or because it was a spot where expats used to repair to drink forbidden alcohol). The rock is also in Martini Bay, so take your pick as to what rationale you prefer). Water was 23C and air temp. 21 and cooler going at high speeds in the wind so dress accordingly. They rent 5 MM suits and most people were cold diving in winter with these suits. The rest of the year it should be fine. Best time to dive in the UAE is March-April.
Viz was 6-8 metres and there was a lot of plankton and sediment in the water. Lots of eels, scorpionfish, nudibranchs, lionfish, and purple soft coral and long sea grass.on one side of the rock. Large porcupine pufferfish as well. There are also non stinging jelly fish on the surface. Considering this is just about the UAE’s signature dive, it’s a bit disappointing. The profusion of black sea urchin with red eyes indicates the reef is not healthy (they feed on algae). Bottom depth is 72 feet.
We then headed back to the hotel for an hour to change tanks and have lunch (cheese and ham and cheese sandwiches, fruit and cookies with tea and coffee included in the dive package price). Picked up some new hotel guests and dropped off a few too.
Next dive was Sharm which is a 5-10 minute boat ride from the hotel. Lots of box fish, flounder, eels, urchins, sea slugs, false Moorish idol, hunting bat fish. Again water had lots of plankton.
The head dive master was a nice but very laid back German. He did a one minute briefing on both dives but otherwise kept to himself. Fortunately, there are a profusion of friendly Filipino Instructors and DMs who do all the heavy lifting. Filipinos also run the office and shop. One DM/Instructor will guide 4 divers.
Bottom line: professional operator. Nice boat and good facilities. Let down by head DM who while pleasant doesn’t do much for his guests.
• Jan. 4, 2007: Khor Fakkan booked through Divers Down, Oceanic Hotel, Khor Fakkan, Sharjah (PADI Gold Palm). Tel. +971-9-2-37-02-99. Mobile: +971-50-5-53-16-88. E-mail:
diversdown@emirates.net.ae. Website:
www.diversdown.ae.
I had to arrange my own transport to get here. It’s a about a 2 hour drive from Dubai and a taxi will cost about 300-350 Dirhams (and will wait for you for 6-7 hours and drive you back for the same price at no extra charge). I used Faruk (from Bombay) as my taxi driver over four days and was pleased with his courteous, reliable, on time service. His brother drives a limo and took me to Khor Fakkan when Faruk’s taxi was being serviced for the same price. Mobile: Tel. +971-50-7841863.
This dive center is run by Brits, Americans and South Africans. They are very efficient at responding to e-mails. They run weekend charters to Musandam Penninsula but need a minimum of 5 divers for this. Otherwise they do 3 dives a day at 9:30, 12:30 and 2:30. Cost 250 dirhams for two tanks with gear or 220 dirhams if you have your own gear.
The dive facility is more spacious than that at Al Aqah but the changing rooms and toilets (shared with resort guest) are not scrupulously cleaned by the Oceanic Hotel as they are at the Al Aqah Meridien and are therefore dirty with sand and water by midday. The staff will keep your valuables in their safe. They have a good selection of rental gear. The boats are really small (no toilet or showers) and there is no room for dry stuff or even seats for everyone or individual dive cubby holes on board. We had 12 people and most had to sit scrunched up on the floor of the boat surrounded by dive gear. However, the boat rides are short (10 minutes) and the staff is very adept at getting everyone’s gear on and in the water quickly. Note, you have to carry your own tanks on and off board. If there is surf, this means a swim with all your gear to the boat and back! The divemaster will help elderly or frail guests. Water and fresh orange slices served on board.
Due to last minute cancellations I was alone for my first dive (Extra guiding charge 20 Dirhams if you have no buddy). We dove the Inch Cape II wreck—a tender for the oil tankers off Fujeirah. No penetration on this shallow wreck (Imax depth 52 feet). Lots of scorpionfish, nudibranchs, lionfish. Viz was 8-10 metres which the Instructor told me was very good. Lots of sediment in the water. Note that a DM doesn’t guide guests unless you pay extra (20 Dirhams for this). They will assign you a buddy and off you go.
Headed back to have an hour surface interval, change tanks and pick up more divers. Free coffee and tea but no lunch included in the price of the dive package. Next dive was … that staple of UAE East Coast diving, Martini Rock! It’s on the Fujeirah/Sharjah border. See my description above. The only difference is this time we saw a turtle.
Bottom line: good operator; friendly, competent staff but boat small & cramped. New divers might not be comfortable not being guided by a DM.
See Part II for more info. on UAE operators.
