Question Tech diving in Red Sea North?

[stuartv]

I'm going on the Allstar Liveaboards Red Sea boat (the All Star Scuba Scene) March 4 - 11.

We'll be doing their North itinerary. (diving the Thistlegorm has been on my bucket list for a while!)

The boat offers OC technical and CCR support.

I'm trying to decide whether to bother taking my CCR on this trip.

I looked up dive site info for every site on the North itinerary. It looks like all but one site are a max of 30m depth. One said 40m. And I should add that a couple of the sites are at the edge of a wall, so in those places one could dive as deep as you wanted. But, the stuff to see there is all on the reef at the top of the wall (i.e. relatively shallow).

I don't think it's worth the hassle or expense to take a CCR if I'm doing pretty much all my dives at 30m or less. I can rent an OC twinset, if I just want long, shallow dives. I don't care about diving deep just to see a bigger number on my computer. I'm not trying to "build hours" on my CCR or practice doing technical dives. I do enough of all that at home.

On the other hand, why does this boat even have tech and CCR support, if there's not good diving to do that requires it? Is it just so they can teach tech off that boat, and offer support for it so relatively new tech or CCR divers can have a nice liveaboard to dive from while they are developing their new skills? Is it because their southern itineraries have other, better opportunities for technical diving?

Is their diving on this itinerary that I'm going to regret missing, if I don't take my CCR?

Thanks for any insight!

 

[Alekseolsen]

Are they doing Rosalie Moller? If not "CCR Depth" it's at least in the "I'd want some helium woth that please" range if you wish to penetrate/ see the full wreck.

 

[DiveLikeAMuppet]

It entirely depends on your group. In a mixed group with variable experience, you might see far too much reef and bio clutter and too little rust. Think just one dive on Rosalie Moller, because it’s too deep for single cylinder divers. Transporting a CCR would not be worth it.

I’ve been on MV Legends two years ago before they changed ownership and while they advertised support for tech and CCR, they were unable to even consistently blend back gas nitrox (request 32%, get anywhere between 25 and 34) or provide deco gasses that we asked for. So your mileage may vary .

If the whole boat is chartered by a tech group, by all means - CCR. If not - I would go with a twinset, perhaps not even bother with renting a deco stage.

 

[Alex Ouroboros]

As Divelikeamuppet has said “Legends” used to be the go to tek boat in the northern Red Sea, and I think the only one with a dive lift (certainly true but don’t know about now) for the itinerary your doing I’d just try and book a pair or Ali 80,s as a twin set (that’s what you get out there) and that would be more than enough for Rosalie Moller, which as also correctly pointed out will be the deepest of the lot and very well worth the dive, I imagine your doing Thistlegorm, Rosie, Ghanaian D, karnatic etc and if penetration is in mind it’s much easier on a single, I have done a tec trip out there where we did the 3-4 main wrecks on Abu Nuhas in one dive as a sort of warm up. They do have wrecks out there past 100m but unless this has already been very well advertised you won’t be on that track, and if I’m honest the classic wreck week (Thistie, Rosie etc) is far more fun anyway,
So my advice is try secure a twinset, have fun and you’ll be more than happy, enjoy it you’ll love it

 

[BoltSnap]

They will do this to you: "I've never had service like this before. At one point, one person was helping me out of my wetsuit, another wrapped a warm towel around my shoulders, and someone else handed me a hot chocolate ... I felt like royalty ..."

Are you going to let them do that to you??? OMG

 

[stuartv]

Thank you for all that info!

The group on the boat will definitely be a mix of rec and tech as I'm bringing at least one rec-only diver myself.

I didn't see the Rosalie Moller on the itinerary. If it does get offered, I'm good with doing that dive on OC.

So... no CCR for me on this trip!

They will do this to you: "I've never had service like this before. At one point, one person was helping me out of my wetsuit, another wrapped a warm towel around my shoulders, and someone else handed me a hot chocolate ... I felt like royalty ..."

Are you going to let them do that to you??? OMG

OoooOOO!! That sounds lovely! I like hot chocolate! As long as they don't touch my gear, they can totally help me with my wetsuit and cuddle me with a warm towel.

 

[stuartv]

Another question: Water temps.

The company gave me info that said water temps of 72F. But, it says "Hurghada water temps".

A friend who has actually done the North Itinerary in March of a previous year said the water was actually around 66F when he dived there.

What should I really be prepared for?

 

[jborg]

Another question: Water temps.

The company gave me info that said water temps of 72F. But, it says "Hurghada water temps".

A friend who has actually done the North Itinerary in March of a previous year said the water was actually around 66F when he dived there.

What should I really be prepared for?

20-22℃ / 68-72℉ when I dived Sharm in the middle of March the other year.

It's often windy topside. I had my drysuit, it was nice. People in regular 5mm's where initially dismissive then, a couple of days later, jealous.

 

[BoltSnap]

Yeah, I did Sharm in early/mid March in 22', COLD after a couple of days of diving ESPECIALLY on the boat between dives. At least 5mm with a 3mm under-vest and a good warm wind proof coat on the boat. If you can take a drysuit or semidry with you, it will be best.

 

[BoltSnap]

I am leaving to Hurghada in few days and taking my 5mm suit and my Hollis 4/3 semidry with 3mm under vest. I wish I had a 6mm semidry but it isn't coming on time for the trip unfortunately.


(I am actually packing as I write this post. Finished packing dive gear and now time for the photo equipment. No space for clothing so far)