Red Sea Liveaboard Scuba Diving "Semi-Live" (Pic Heavy):

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Figure I'll make this as "semi-live" a dive trip as possible.

Stayed in Hurghada, Egypt where our taxi driver said they gain their drivers license via Grand Theft Auto video game and after the drive he may not be joking.

Lane paint to drive between is a suggestion, not a requirement. Seemed horns are a constant and Lane paint was center of our vehicle. Haha!

Pedestrians casually "Frogger" their way across the road and casually means, cars do not stop, cars casually drive around the pedestrians and the pedestrians act as if that's the norm.

Our tip based taxi driver shared buildings are typically still under construction on one floor or another, seemed mostly top level - taxes begin collection once "construction" is complete.

The first morning after our group arrived: The panoramic view from the hotel breakfast area -:not the greatest though enjoyable for my first Egyptian experience:

 

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That afternoon we were shuttled to the Marriott Marina where our boat awaited.

Any interested divers, this is part of All-Star Liveaboard - M/Y Scuba Scene vessel Hurghada, Egypt, Seven Days w/nitrox & 100 tanks = roughly $2.1K USD.

2022 165' 5 level Liveaboard:


R&R jacuzzi:


Dive prep area:


Dinning area:


Pre dive review conference area:


My room:


Room restroom/shower:

 

[hogcarpy]

Looking forward to this

 

[Sytes]

Today en-route to our first dive location after our first vessel night sleep at port.



After our morning conference related to the oval raised reef bed, sea creatures, and our dive grouping, we hopped in to dial in weights, etc.

Apparently, the Red Sea holds a higher salt content than other salt water bodies, so an extra 2k weight on average was added.

The water clarity is unbelievable! The pic below is the reef mentioned and the light color is a sandy area that's roughly 50' deep. I can view over and see rocks / corral below w/o issue.



Off for the first dive. Amazing on the way out... Basically the first 1/2 hr under water.

I'm working on figuring how to pull pictures from my GoPro video via a connection attachment to the phone for the microSD card to post pics of the dive. They are fantastic!

That's where I'm at currently.

We have a dive conference @ 1400hrs to prep us for taking and diving off/returning onto the zodiacs from the other side of the reef.

Pretty awesome though once I return from the mentioned zodiac, I'll share a pic of the "meh / reality of the popularity” for this short jaunt to this location.
Basically, on my return underwater, I heard non stop vessels and zodiacs above while making our way back to our ship.
This location, mainly used to prepare our weights and learn zodiac use for scuba, is a favorite snorkel one day trip location for resorts! AND WOW! By the time we returned - it was a mass of day trip boats, side by side... With people all over snorkeling and some scuba.

We have a good break until our first night dive and that should be pretty awesome! They shared this afternoon, most, if not all day boats will return to their ports and it will return to our norm.

It's 1345hrs currently to identify the time difference from your location.

 

[Sytes]

We're currently @ Ras Mohamed.

Returned from dive #2 and the first 3/4 of the dive was great! Fantastic colored fish and corral! Apparently Egyptian gov't requires a listing of max depth and time under.
The last 1/4 was a tough swim into the current as we rounded the reef and headed towards the boat! Had to assist dive buddy with a leg cramp.
They require us to all have an SMB (surface marker buoy or aka surface sausage - hah!). If the current reduced our remaining air to 750 before our three minute stop @ 15' (safety stop to release nitrogen from our body tissue), we deploy the SMB and one of the zodiacs collect us.
I was last out w/ 700 remaining and 76 minutes / max depth only 45'. I believe for the most part our dive was roughly 30-35'?

SMB:

I'll share a pic of the "meh / reality of the popularity” for this short jaunt to this location.
Basically, on my return underwater, I heard non stop vessels and zodiacs above while making our way back to our ship.
This location, mainly used to prepare our weights and learn zodiac use for scuba, is a favorite snorkel one day trip location for resorts! AND WOW! By the time we returned - it was a mass of day trip boats, side by side... With people all over snorkeling and some scuba.

This is a pic from the bow (front) 12 boats! This is from my cabin level 3 of 5.
From what could see, approx 1/10th scuba and the remaining were snorkel & people who joined for the boat ride(?) laying out, etc.

Crazy aspect there were some 15+ boats on our stern (rear). None tied to us. I imagine Liveaboards likely operate on a separate procedure from day use? I'll inquire.

So we had our first 1/2hr of the dive free of other activity. On our return the the vessel, as mentioned earlier, we kept hearing boat after boat rolling in above us and tying off to each other.
I've not experienced this type of activity before though only been diving three years. Likely common for hot spots within an hour or two from the marinas.
Looked like those aboard the other boats, inclusive of families, were having a great time!

After the night dive here, we head south to "The Brothers".

 

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Dive map:

 

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I had to skip the night dive. Sat in on the dive conference - really great crew reviews with a Marine Biologist who's also one heck of a diver! Unfortunately , my head was thumping. Probably not enough water... Blah.

Bell - dinner.
Likely no signal down in/around The Brothers. I'll update once back in signal.

Saw the thread about Baltimore (?) Quick view. Prayers with. Wow!

 

[noharleyyet]

Enjoy Charles, sounds like a fun trip...

 

[Mountain Man]

This seems like one heck of a dive trip! I got certified when stationed in Hawaii and dove in Papua New Guinea and CA before life got busy and I haven’t gone since 2012. Your trip is making me jealous and wanting to get back to diving!

 

[Beignet]

I got to do some snorkeling and a basics diving course in Dahab once upon a time. The water clarity is absolutely amazing. Enjoy the trip! Looking forward to seeing those GoPro photos.

 

[Bambistew]

What an adventure. Are you also seeing historic sights? I spent a month in Egypt in 1996, it was amazing. We stayed in Sharm el Sheikh for 4-5 days, enjoying the beach and some snorkeling. I'd love to go back. The water so clear and amazing fish and coral.

 

[Sytes]

Returning from "The Brothers" dive area. Basically, two rock outcroppings In the middle of the ocean with magnificent reef walls that drop to unknown depths. Amazing clarity! One has a lighthouse




Quick run through as signal is in/out. We are routed back north to a few desired ship wrecks the guru divers claim as "bucket list" diver material. So, I suppose I'm excited. Wrecks are pretty cool based on the reef quality associated.

Seems as though this trek has covered '
many days though I'm only on day two/three??? (2220hrs)

This morning as we prepppped for our dive a "friend" joined us. Coffee is shamed when compared to this sighting as we gear up.

White Tip shark.



,
Few other pics - Evening moon:



From my cabin window:



Panoramic view:


I made an error on the first set of dives. This is the actual name of the dive site.



Closer to sharing pics from the GoPro underwater. Thankfully, one gent onboard is a guru IT guy likely wishing he hadn't shared that info .

Until next post.

 

[Sytes]

A bit of service. We routed from "The Brothers" over to a fantastic set of wrecks!
As a rather new person to scuba, able to move around these wrecks is amazing!
The clarity + light extending to these depths and tranquil smooth water (Captain says we've hit this dive trip at a great time, thus far)... The sea life and coral is amazing!






These were fantastic dives! In the Chrisoula K. Wreck there's one side that peeled away enough that my dive buddy and I were able to route inside and find piles of old tile from Greece or Italy along with routing through the coral growth and various colored/size fish.

I'll have to update when I return and able to connect my videos to the laptop as my phone can not process the quality level of video taken.

Tonight is a night dive @

Looking forward to this!

We are currently on the suez canal side of the Sinai Peninsula's point.



Touch base next opportunity... or when fresh pics present.

Bucket list - filleth over.

 

[Nameless Range]

What an experience! So cool.

 

[duckhunt]

This is great stuff sytes.

 

[Sytes]

What an adventure. Are you also seeing historic sights? I spent a month in Egypt in 1996, it was amazing. We stayed in Sharm el Sheikh for 4-5 days, enjoying the beach and some snorkeling. I'd love to go back. The water so clear and amazing fish and coral.

It sounds like a great opportunity though my days are a bit limited for work leave having returned from the Hawaii dive trip then off to Egypt. A tad over one month away from work... And I don't miss work. Haha!

My dive buddy is a major religious Christian gent and really wanted to take in some of the significant religious sites though his time is limited as well and we figured not enough time to embrace both.

 

[Sytes]

We stayed in Sharm el Sheikh for 4-5 days, enjoying the beach and some snorkeling

Interesting you mention this location. We happened to question the lighted area this evening.
If we're correct, based on our map "skills" there's a distant city of lights and we believe it's the location you mention.

I believe Sharm el Sheikh is around Jemsa and the "Desert Breath" area. The blue dot is a rough estimate of our vessel's location.

 

[FI460]

Wow Sytes, what a trip!

Thanks for taking us along.

 

[Sytes]

Wow! EPIC dive this morning (currently 0900hrs)

Briefing:


Ras Mohamed National Park!

We arrived here to dive via zodiacs. As a National Park they're unable to drop anchor nor tie off.

Beautiful area! And the dive??? Wow! I can not wait until compiling a YouTube (may need a few) video. Amazing! I take that back - I can wait as this diving life is a new world of absolute underwater surprise!



Panoramic view:

View attachment IMG_20240329_061329192.jpg

The dive - wow! I was viewing AMAZING soft coral and hoards of amazing colorful fish, blue spotted sting rays, eels, etc as we routed through a plush marine world of color!

I heard my dive buddy give a metal tap on his tank, turn to view him and he's recording me as a barracuda close to my full length is parallel to me - at the most five feet away, simply swimming along my side!

I know I've used the word "amazing" several times! I may need to seek @noharleyyet for a few more choice words... Haha!

Wish I could, at the least, pull snap pics though nope.



This lady is FANTASTIC! Great briefings. Can not say enough about the organized methodology this operation processes our dives. She has a PhD in ??? I don't recall though it involves marine biology. She's deeply vested in thousands of dives for sake of study. Can not say enough.
Detailed understanding of the marine life, zodiacs out determining current. Advise for multiple routing, etc.

 

[Sytes]

Briefing @ 1030hrs for 2nd dive:





This was a pretty enjoyable dive. Another wreck penetration, down to a max 87'.
Have video of a massive eel - only able to see sections through openings in the wreck's hull. Huge! Speaking of huge, the largest lion fish I've seen.

I'll have to place video queues to the related post.



We're slowing down to what many of the divers call a wreck dive bucket list. SS Thistlegorm. I don't know much, if anything about it though judging by the seasoned divers interest, I'm happy to be in position to experience this wreck. I'll share a new post/briefing on this one shortly - 1430hrs for briefing (current time is 1400hrs).