Hi, just returned from the Red Sea, here is a brief report on my diving experience:
Red Sea Diving College is a professional, efficient diving operation located at Na’am Bay. They currently operate 6-Boats with a average length of 18’- washrooms on board. All tanks and personal equipment is placed in a plastic crate and loaded on and off each dive boat, ready for the next day. The dive guides are very knowledgeable with an impressive amount of experience. Dive briefings are thorough as were the diagrams. Depth, time and air limits are established on each dive with Nitrox usage carefully recorded.
After a compulsory ‘check out dive,’ you chose your dive sites: local, Ras Mohammed or day excursions: Tiran, Dahab and Thistlegorm. Lunch is provided for 50 Egyptian Pounds on the day excursions. You place your name on a whiteboard for your desired dive site, as soon as there is a set minimum of divers the excursion is confirmed. Recommend you do this right away. Use cash (any major currency) for the deeper discounts generally given.
Of the 14-dives in total, I used a 15 Liter steel tank with 32% Nitrox. Some highlights:
Ras Mohamed (4- Dives): Rated within the top 10 dive sites, enjoyed the dives & coral.
Tiran (2-Dives): Excellent dive sites. The two best are Jackson and Thomas. However, at Jackson beware of strong current NW of the Island – you will be swept away, as were 2-DMs!
Thistlegorm (2-Dives): Definitely worth the 3.5 hrs to get there – a sight to behold. You go down the shock-line and explore. Usually first dive in external and second internal – lots to see – trucks, motorcycles, rifles, ammo etc. There was little current on my dive.
Dahab (2-Dives): Excellent shore dive, but beware of sharp rocks! Enjoyed the Canyon (easy dive), the Bells was exciting and the drift dive to the Blue Hole enjoyable.
In summation: Enjoyed the 14- dives in total with Red Sea Diving College. Am thankful to three outstanding instructors: Nasser Shaban who kept an eye on an inexperienced/nervous diver, Ali who took me around Thistlegorm and Ahmed with his willing helping hands at Dahab! A little disappointed that I did not see some of the larger pelagic fish, but was informed the best time is in the summer: June-August. If I can brave the heat, will return then!