Dived Musandam Lately?

[supajaydub]

Hi All,

I was wondering has anyone dived Musandam lately? (the last month or so?)

I heard the red tide affected this area too and was wondering if it was worth the dive now.

The guys at Al Boom diving (Dubai) and Diver's Down (Khor Fakkan) say that its clear now but I am hesitant to believe them as they also told me that Dibba and Khor Fakkan were clear, until we got there and it was so bad it was like a night dive!

Thanks

[jerogers]

I was in Dibba/Fujairah about three weeks ago (Inscape 1&2)...it was bad. A friend of mine was there last week, and he said it was bad then.

Maybe try calling one of the hotels - though, they might lie to you as well...

[Jonny boy]

I did Inch 1&2 at the weekend and it was alot better than in recent weeks. Viz was about 8 metres on inch 1 and some of the sea life had started to return, schools of snapper some smaller puffers, there was a couple of bigger eels and some baby ones knocking around but fred (the massive moray) is still missing. Inch 2 had about 5 metres of viz once you get through the brown layer on the surface, again some of the sea life has returned but no lion fish or scorpion fish back yet. There were a couple of stone fish and a school of snappers along with some other random fish.........long story short its getting better!

[Benzonar]

I'm heading over to Dibba on Thursday, been told it is clearing nicely and an increasing number of sharks are being seen.

Will report when back on Sunday.

[dujubber]

The sharks are definatly back on Dibba Rock. We saw 4 there yesterday. We decided to go with Freestyle Divers as they are right in front of the Island so it would not be a long boat ride, just in case there was any red in the water. The water was clear (6m-7m) and the team there said it had cleared up right after a storm the had the previous week.

They also said they were recently in the Musandam and it was clear, however some of the soft Coral on The Caves had been affected. It has been the longest period of clear water they have had since the red tide started and they are optimistic it will stay away!

They are always open to answer divers questions even if they are not their divers. try calling them 09 2445756

[FDW]

Red tide is still there, it comes and goes with open patches.

2 weeks ago, Fujeirah, Sharm Rocks and Martini Rock: bad vis, open patches, but also dark parts with vis = 2 m.

last week: Lima Rock: excellent vis, app. 10 m, lots of fish, further up north (Sharkham), less red tide. Lots of coral died, but fish is returning.

Around Dibba: sea was brown and red

[Nimon]

Has the situation improved yet? We are off to Khasab at the end of the month.

Can anybody recommend some good dive sites in Khasab? I read there is some cave diving there as well, anything suited for starters?

[Aeromech]

Also looking to dive in Oct 2009 any updates on conditions East Coast side and Dibba?

[FDW]

I was there three weeks ago. The red tide is starting to come up. It is already present around Dibba harbour, but up north (Lima rock, ....) its fine.

Fujeirah was a mess, very low vis (2-4 m).

Dubai was very hot, around 34°C surface temp, around 32°C at 10 m deep.

[NickNYC]

Red tide is coming back again!?