Port Sudan liveaboard recommendation?

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Lorenzoid

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What is the best liveaboard out of Port Sudan? Yes, I know that's a broad question.

Also, I see that there is at least one liveaboard out of Djibouti. I see a post or two here (none very recent) about diving in Djibouti, but not a liveaboard. Anyone have any information about a Djibouti liveaboard?

The reason for the two questions is that I am going to find myself in Addis Ababa in May 2011, and I see this as an opportunity to spend a week afterwards diving the southern Red Sea. I prefer a liveaboard. I have no idea how easy or difficult it may be to travel from Addis to these places, so if you have any advice in that regard, I would appreciate it as well. Coming from Addis, Djibouti seems like an intriguing possibility.
 
A few liveaboards operate out of Djibouti. The main attraction there is migrating whalesharks.

Sudan has a bit more to offer, such as hammerheads and Cousteaus Conshelf II experiment. I spent two weeks on a deep south trip on Don Questo, the only liveaboard I've been on that had an espresso machine. The italian captain is a gracious and knowledgable host who was a resort cook in the maldives 'in a previous life' so to speak, so he makes sure the food is the best I've had on any safari boat. Imagine climbing into the zodiac after the first dive and seeing lunch already being gutted and cleaned. Fresh barracuda sashimi with a touch of garlic and lime for lunch. Yumm.
Don Questo is a big steel vessel, a former trawler I believe, and more spacious than most other boats. It also features its own deco chamber and a hydraulic lift that can pick up a complete zodiac loaded with divers and park it level with the dive deck. This is extremely comfortable, especially if you have a big camera rig or doubles.

Underwater life: Serious hammerhead action on a handful of dives. Otherwise much the same as Egypt, but better and more. We didn't spot another boat all week, apart from one illegal Yemeni fisherman steaming off at high speed to get away from us.

For historical reasons Sudan is a popular destination for italians. Diving is therefore often done 'Italian style', i.e. deep, and pushing the envelope on certain dives. For example: If you want to see hammerheads the way to go about it is to descend to 45 meters on a weak nitrox mix (say 27%) and swim out into the blue. If the hammerheads are there you'll have a few amazing minutes but you may end up at 60 meters. And you should strive to look cool at all times ;-)

Art
 
Thanks, Arthur. I believe I read your earlier post about your trip on the Don Questo, and I had taken a look at their web site. The converted trawler sure looks like a no-nonsense dive boat, well-equipped for the task. Does the boat also have the usual amenities that are provided on the better liveaboards? Were the staterooms, showers, etc., clean and otherwise okay? Did you have any complaints?--anything you did NOT like? The sashimi-making captain sounds like an interesting character. Can I ask you another question? A lot of Italians (and Germans, also common guests in Sudan) are smokers, and we Americans tend to find it offensive--how was the situation on the Don Questo?

If anyone else has recommendations, I'll be checking back here often until we make a decision.
 
I feel the same. On Don Questo the breakfast table, dinner area etc. are outside and while no one smokes during meals, the cigarettes come out the moment the table is cleared.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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