Red Sea

I have been looking at the different itineraries for Tony Blackhusrt's liveaboards in the Red Sea (thanks to Alex for the suggestion ). Can anyone point to the better trips (or ones that are not so hot). Thanks.

Chris D.

I have been looking at the different itineraries for Tony Blackhusrt's liveaboards in the Red Sea (thanks to Alex for the suggestion ). Can anyone point to the better trips (or ones that are not so hot). Thanks.

 

Chris D.

Hi Chris

I have travelled with Tornado's fleet on a number of trips and my following 'take' on there itinery is quite biased from a photography point of view!

In general terms I have found the diving in the north to be more relaxed, as the currents are less of a 'challenge' than in the south.

In the north I can recommend the Wrecks & Reefs as a great package & a good balance between the photogenic wrecks and a variety of reefs. I don't think it is a coincidence that Alex's excellent workshops have been based on this itinery, I am travelling on Whirlwind next week on a photo workshop with Charles Hood & I expect this too will be based on the route.

In the south (Brothers/Rocky/Daedelus/Zagereb) the emphasis is more on the pelagics and I have found that the shark viewings are far greater down there. Also, there tends to be more drift diving due to the stronger currents; on quite a few occasions I have just had to forget the camera and 'go with the flow'! St Johns however, offers some wonderful columns of coral and is one of my favourite locations in the Red Sea.

I really don't think there ARE any that are 'not so hot'; what I do think is that Tony Backhurst offer a great package overall and are very professional in their operation. I have been fortunate to have had quite a number of liveaboard trips in the Red Sea over the last two years, both on Typhoons fleet and others. I rate them very highly and think they set the standard to which other operators should aspire to. In particular, as a photographer I have been given individual consideration, which has certainly not been the case on other liveaboards!

Good luch with whichever trip you choose & don't forget to post up your pics here on return!

Excellent advise..thanks.

Hi Ralphy-Thanks for the Red Sea info. What time of year is best in your opinion? I am also a photographer so that is a consideration.

Hi Ralphy-Thanks for the Red Sea info. What time of year is best in your opinion? I am also a photographer so that is a consideration.

Hi Chris

When to go - for me, anytime!

Seriously, I enjoy it whatever the time of year I go; there is always something else to see and I have never found any time of year disappointing. Now, I am no expert on the seasonal comings and goings of marine life – and I have to say that the 'oh, you only ever see (insert marine life) in (insert month)' hasn't applied in my experience.

Having said that, you do get large groups of snappers & batfish coming together at Ras Mohammed in June/July and they are an awesome sight (Alex's award-winner of a bohar snapper was take there at that time of year), and the hammerheads are at their most prolific over at Jackson reef about that time of year too.

Check out Mark Websters website photec.co.uk and have a look at his Red Sea images, all I think taken in June and October of this year. There is also a write up on his 2007 trips to the South - and what to expect to see there.

On my site, www.ralphyimages.com the images currently displayed are all from Red Sea in 2006 and taken throughout the last twelve months.

One other consideration I guess is your comfort level re: water temp; I can dive all year round out there in a 3mm shorty, but many find the winter months too cool for anything less than a full length 5mm.

HTH

I agree with Ralph.

If you like taking photos in easy conditions of cooperative and photogenic subjects, go North Egypt.

If you like taking photos of great and exciting diving, go South Egypt.

I would avoid dedicated wreck weeks - as they tend to be all deep short dives, with little chance to be on the wreck at the right time of day for the light.

Alex

I did North Red Sea this Feb with Euro Dive on the M/Y Regency depart from Hurgada. I too found it's very relax and less crowded. Since I visited in the low season, I actually got a double room all to myself w/ private bath which is very very very nice. Sleep on one bed, all gears scatter on the other :-)

I think leaving from Hurgada may be even more affordable then leave from Sharm.

Also when you get to Thristogorm, usually it's quite before all the day trip operators from Sharm arrive.

We didn't see anything big and the guide says South Red Sea has more big stuffs.

Even Napolean aren't that many around !

No matter where, it's Red Sea, it's just awesome !

Share some photos here:

http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures...ail-AlbumInvite

South and marine park islands are better than north for pelagics, but can have stronger currents, otherwise I don't think there is much real difference in the diving wherever you go in the Red Sea. Art the moment my perception is that the north is quieter than the south.

January/February are relatively quiet, with plenty if spaces available, which equals decent last minute discounts

I don't agree with the 'deep, short dives' comment Alex posted. The north wrecks are, with one exception, in 30m or less, and hour-long dives are not only possible, they're routine. My last dedicated wreck week I averaged 65mins dive time

That said, I'm a wreckie and run wreck tours.

If you want more info feel free to PM me.

Update for you, Chris.

I have just returned from a week on board m/v Whirlwind, the latest in Tony Backhurst's boats in the northern Red Sea.

The dive sites were so much quieter than when I was last there in October; most days there was only one other boat on site (& that was often m/v Tempest - another of TB's boats!) and were were one of only four on the Thistlegorm. The viz was excellent, water temp 24c and we had a good selection of marine life, including a pod of 20+ dolphins on the Kingston wreck.

All in all a great week, despite BA delivering my dive bag three days later than me........

we had a good selection of marine life, including a pod of 20+ dolphins on the Kingston wreck.

 

All in all a great week, despite BA delivering my dive bag three days later than me........

Excellent - everone always says there are dolphins on Kingston, but I've never seen 'em

And as far as BA goes, they skinned me for £70 excess baggage a few weeks ago because they've just changed their hand and hold baggage rules but not changed what was on the tickets

I have been looking at the different itineraries for Tony Blackhusrt's liveaboards in the Red Sea (thanks to Alex for the suggestion ). Can anyone point to the better trips (or ones that are not so hot). Thanks.

 

Chris D.

Depends on what you want to photograph, but generally Sudan in march-april-may is the best. Beatiful soft coral, huge swirling schools of barracuda and jacks, lots of grey reef sharks that are photo friendly and all on 25-27 metres of depth with less current than on e.g. Brother Islands or Elphinstone. Then you can throw in the reamins of Costeaus Conshelf II and the wreck of the Umbrea, and, schooling hammerheads. Viz is a bit lower than in Egypt because of more particles, but then there are in my opinion noticably more fish and also better variety of marine life.

Christian

The "Simply the Best" TB trip takes some beating.

Early in they year ( I am off in a couple of weeks ), at peak times there are too many other divers for me.

Downside is that the weather can be a lottery and it can get very rough.

Personaly I find some of the wreck based trips hard work as I get 'wrecked out' after about day three.

Oh and the Sudan is a travel pig to get to - though the diving is good.

Paul C

And as far as BA goes, they skinned me for £70 excess baggage a few weeks ago because they've just changed their hand and hold baggage rules but not changed what was on the tickets

Under the latest rules, you are only allowed to check in one hold bag. Accordingly, I couldn't take my additional Pelican case; so packed my dSLR housing and strobes, arms etc into my main case.

When my luggage arrived 3 days late it had suffered extreme handling en route; one handle was completely ripped off, the zip torn open and abrasion holes at both ends. In addition, the contents were wet and my housing was damaged.

Upon my return I attempted to contact BA on their customer services line (as their on-line luggage damage reporting was not working). After over 30 minutes on hold (0870 premium line) listening to messages such as 'your call is important to us' & 'you're still our customer once the flight has landed' I finally got through to one of their operatives. Her attitude could best be described as complete indifference & the final straw was when she told me 'your camera housing is not covered for compensation - as it is fragile - and no fragile items are covered'.

I've written a letter to their client services dept but I'm not building up much hope of a decent response.

Oh and the Sudan is a travel pig to get to - though the diving is good.

 

Paul C

It is a bit cumbersome as it takes two days of travelling to get there (from Europe). But that's not unique when it comes to good diving destinations. Consider it as a 'far-away' destination and go for two weeks - the diving is that good inmo.

Another Sudan-option is to go by boat from Egypt. As of writing, the first trip should be underway with the Royal Evolution. They now run 14 day trips Ras Ghaleb-Port Sudan-Ras Ghalib. TB will probably offer something similar soon.

/christian

I was in Sudan in October and the Dive Guide (actually Steve from the Whirlwind up north filling in for the normal fella, for those that have met Steve) mentioned that in Feb TB will be running ... I think it was the Hurricane down from Egypt. Here's a rather unhelpful link (no extra info there, just trip date & cost):

http://www.scuba.co.uk/Travel/Schedule/sea...amp;upper_cost=

The diving in Sudan was worth the over-night in Egypt, I reckon. Especially if you haven't done the pyrimads. We stayed in a hotel right by them and for me, coming from NZ, it was a great thrill to wake up in the morning with those big suckers sitting right outside my window... only worth a morning's trip around them though, there is only so much sandstone I can take in before I start itching for the dive action to hurry up and start.