shortest boat trips to dive sites

[David Silver]

Hello all, My wife and I are planning a months trip to Egypt. We haven't booked flights as of yet as we are wondering where to go to dive for the month. My wife does get motion sick so we are looking for a place that offers the best shore dives or has the shortest boat trips to get to the dive sites. We have been to Dahab before and know that lots of shore dives are possible there, but we are looking for another place to go this time. Any tips would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[Finn_Diver]

My advice would be: Sharm el Sheikh or Red Sea Diving safari villages.

 

[Sunn]

If you already know Dahab, try the surroundings of Marsa Alam.

Many centers propose shore diving, sothat you can combine diving in nice sites and avoid problems with your wife.

Option 2 : stop diving and try playing chess
Option 3 : change you wife

I'm joking, of course

 

[a_lamonta]

Hi David, I've been to egypt 7 times (shortest diving was 8 days, longest 3 weeks). I've done Sharm el-Sheikh and Dahab. I prefer Sharm by far, however time out to sites is between 30 and 45 mins (but on bigger boats than what I saw in Dahab, usually helps with sea-sickness).
There are 2 jettys in Sharm (Sharks bay used for Tiran, and Travco used for local - still 30 mins of boat time and Ras Mohammed). There is a third that I've used, but only for Thistlegorm, and that's a 3 hour boat ride, so I'm guessing that's not an option for you.
Most if not all hotels also offer shore dives, and the local reefs are also very nice (although I prefer the depth of the local reefs in the Shark's bay area, as it's more of a cliff with a wall vs the sandy beach bottom that I saw in Na'ama bay. I've been down to 27 meters on the local reefs, so while not quite as varied, since you are still jumping off the same pier every time, but not limited to snorkeling depth. I would suggest that you go to Sharm, and alternate as needed between taking boat days and shore days to the extent that you and your wife feel comfortable. I've attached a pic of Angelina, one of the dive boats in the sharm area - empty because there are no tourists now, but it give you an idea of the boat size in Sharm vs Dahab.

I can't speak for Hurghada or Marsa Alam, never been.
Has your wife tried using gravol to fend off the sea-sickness?

 

[KenGordon]

Marsa Alam. Red Sea Diving Safari. There are excellent house reefs. If completely averse to a boat then they do excursions by truck further south so other shore dives. Otherwise, Elphinstore is a few miles (7?) offshore and there are various somewhat local boat dives too.

I really like the place.

PS, they have a chamber across the road too.

 

[Christian]

Another vote for RSDS Marsa Shagra Camp. Very nice house reef with unlimited diving, just grab a tank and your buddy and dive. As pointed out, Elphinstone straight out from camp. If the sea is calm boat ride is easy as pie ... no worries. Lots of shore dives in the area and trips every day.