oceanic white tips marsa alam

i've got a place to go to marsa alam on a liveboard in june 08, but most references i see to seeing white tips in the area are nov-april.....is june going to be completely the wrong time of year?

info appreciated.

best regards,

mark

Yes. Everyone says that winter is best (not that I have seen them myself).

Alex

Hi Mark,

In the Marsa Alam area, THE place for Oceanics is Elphinstone and for a liveaboard this usually means stopping for a couple of dives on the return passage from a deep south safari. I have seen one or two Oceanics at Elphinstone as early as August, but that is exceptional. They start to show reliably from October.

If Oceanics are your 'thing'. I'd recommend staying at the Red Sea Diving Safari camp at Marsa Shagra - book through Oonas. RSDS run at least two Elphinstone dives each day, sometimes three, from fast shorebased RIBs. I like to take the 6:00 am trip, twin up with independent 12's and loiter at depth with the hammers. I then have sufficient gas to run a deeper profile along the wall, swim off a little deco and maybe bump into an oceanic, especially over the south plateau where the dive boats moor.

Oh bu@@er! Writing this as made me reach for the phone, dialiing Oonas, spending money, packing kit...

thanks guys, you've just saved me a few squid...was also last night talking to a friend that i was working with last year whos just got himself a job down in marsa alam, so will be not going on the june trip, instead, heading on down there next winter for a stay with him.

best regards,

mark.

I've just come back from Shagra. Apparently this year was very quiet for the Oceanics. If that is what you want to see then it is November. They were well gone by December.