new here and already full of questions

Hi everyone,

I'm going to Dahab, Egypte for one week in Februari and I'm wondering what kind of suit would be best for that period. I heard it can be rather cold (if you call 20°C cold) during that period. I can already tell you that I'm kind of a softy when it comes to cold water. So 5mm, 7mm, hood... ?

and another thing, what is the visibility like in Dahab in februari?

thx

No matter what the water temp is I always wear a hood. I find for most dives a Henderson microprene hood works quite well. Only use a 3 mil hood in extremely cold water.
Remember, most of your heat loss comes from your neck and head. the suit thickness will depend upon you but opt for a thicker suit if you will be doing a lot of repetative diving...heat loss over a number of dives can make you feel tired, even if you aren't working hard during the dive. Stands to reason that if your body isn't working hard to maintain your core temp you will have more energy for more dives.

scubajim 1:

...heat loss over a number of dives can make you feel tired, even if you aren't working hard during the dive...

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thx for the reply, now I know why I feel rather weak after a day of diving. lol

I think I will take a 7mm suit and 3mm hood even though the idea of going to egypt with a 7mm + hood is kinda weird since it's so damn hot most of the time.

Water temperature will probably be 20-22°C at any depth (no thermocline). It was 22-23°C last February but that was a soft winter.

Dahab is often windy and the wind is chilling but one can easily find a sheltered place inside a Bedouin cafe.

Dahab is mostly 2 shore dives a day with 2 or 3 hours surface interval so one doesn't get as cold as on liveaboards with 3 to 4 dives a day.

In Dahab I use a full 5 mm wetsuit in winter but I don't mind about the cold. I bring also a 5 mm neoprene hood but I've never used it there so far (but a hood does make one feel much warmer indeed).

With a 7 mm I would need around 3 extra kilograms of lead. I don't like carrying lots of lead if I can do without.

Visibility in Dahab is almost always better than 20 meters but in a few shallow sandy areas.

The main thing is the water is not too cold, 20-22 deg C; the major problem is the wind. Dahab is an area of high wind and in the winter it will be a cold wind and it's the wind chill that gets you which is why a lot of local instructors here use dry suits at this time of year, me included.

Have a great trip.

Drysuit? Wow! I am going to visit Dahab on February also. I was planning of bringing a 5mm wetsuit, together with a 3mm or 4mm vest. I hope this will do won't it?

it will be enough
anyway as soon you are in Dahab you can always ajust your dress in the dive centre you with.
recomend spanish dancer, very nice people. (well they all are)
have fun guys, love Dahab. this time i am going further south (haven't decided yet), that few degrees can make different that time of year

About Dahab you should talk to Red Sea Shadow here on SB he's got a black belt!

...a...

scubajim 1:

Only use a 3 mil hood in extremely cold water.

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Something leads me to guess that you have never dived in really cold waters - or you are exceptionally resistant to cold!

I think I would have brough my rubber dry suit with just some light wool in February in Sinai.

tacky:

I think I would have brought my rubber dry suit with just some light wool in February in Sinai.

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For water at 20-22°C at any depth ? Some rec instructors, among those who can offer it, use a drysuit in Dahab in winter because teaching those parts of the OW course that take place in mid-waist water can actually be freezing due to to the wind (but how much care do these instructors have for their students then ? Dive shops rent mostly 5 mm wetsuits for the students, not drysuits; and I have been taught that the comfort of the clients matters more than the instructor's comfort).

And also because some of these instructors are "tropicalized" (used to very warm temperatures after spending months or years in a torrid climate).

But underwater there is no wind chill. And Dahab is only 2 shore dives a day, especially in winter. And in Dahab there are ways to prepare the kits and do the briefing in a wind-sheltered place or manner. A drysuit is sub-optimal for such water temperature for 45 minutes guided dives. It may be fashion (it may sometimes make you look ridiculous as well) but in that specific case it's overkill. Just my opinion.

When you'll bring your rubber drysuit for recreational guided dives in Dahab with a single aluminum tank, don't forget also to rent a trolley to carry your weight belt on land . (In Dahab with an aluminum tank I use 4 kg of total ballast with a 5 mm full wetsuit and that's heavy enough IMO).