36 replies to this topic

[cmt489]

Today we flew to Luxor where the true historical viewing is to be had in the Valley of the Kings. I will provide further details on a more regular basis now that I am back in the world of the internet connected!

[ScubaDadMiami]

Your trip sounds pretty amazing. However, it sounds like you are somewhat disappointed with the diving.

It has always been one of my dreams to dive the Red Sea. Do you think that it is not really as good as it used to be, and I should move it down the scale from some of the other top world destination like Truk Lagoon, Australia and the like?

[madlobster]

Cairo drivers are prevented from turning left by giant concrete meridians and are allowed to make u-turns at certain points. Where there are cross streets, driveres simply decide to start pulling out to block the traffic travelling the other way and start crossing over. Lines on the road are meaningless with most driving in the middle, on the shoulder and anywhere else they can find room to fit their cars. Very disconcerting to your average North American!

This sounds like an almost typical Boston driver A great report so far Michelle keep in coming, and I can't wait to see your pics.

[cmt489]

Your trip sounds pretty amazing. However, it sounds like you are somewhat disappointed with the diving.

It has always been one of my dreams to dive the Red Sea. Do you think that it is not really as good as it used to be, and I should move it down the scale from some of the other top world destination like Truk Lagoon, Australia and the like?

You hit the nail on the head Howard. Unfortunately, I think it is time for many of us to put this once great destination further down the list. I have heard, however, that much of the marine life has made its way south to Sudan and that the diving there remains fantastic.

[TraceMalin]

Later that night while walking up the streets of Aswan I also discovered that, for a certain number of camals, I could be bought from my parents. Given that we never did come to an agreement on that number, the mystery remains as to how many camels I really am worth.....

Since the world's population of camels is estimated to be 18.831 billion, I'd say you're worth about 18.832 billion camels. However, if your parents are thinking about selling you, the trade off would be that camels are environmentally friendly and can produce 1.1 hp of continuous bioenergy for long periods of time.

Trace

[WreckWench]

Your trip sounds pretty amazing. However, it sounds like you are somewhat disappointed with the diving.

It has always been one of my dreams to dive the Red Sea. Do you think that it is not really as good as it used to be, and I should move it down the scale from some of the other top world destination like Truk Lagoon, Australia and the like?

You hit the nail on the head Howard. Unfortunately, I think it is time for many of us to put this once great destination further down the list. I have heard, however, that much of the marine life has made its way south to Sudan and that the diving there remains fantastic.

Thank you for confirming what I've been hearing. SD's trip in May will be to the South ONLY! -ww

[peterbj7]

Diving around Sharm has steadily deteriorated since I first dived it back in the '80s. But there is still great diving there that Michelle maybe missed, because she didn't actually have many days of diving. Top of the heap for me is Tiran, with its four reefs, strong currents, and copious large game. At places there you can dive between the African and Asian tectonic plates and touch one with each hand, knowing that in due course (quite a long time actually) they will be as far apart as the Atlantic is wide. And Ras Mohammed is still a great place to visit. But the diving in the deep south (but still in Egypt) is still unspoiled, and best visited from a liveaboard.

[cmt489]

Diving around Sharm has steadily deteriorated since I first dived it back in the '80s. But there is still great diving there that Michelle maybe missed, because she didn't actually have many days of diving. Top of the heap for me is Tiran, with its four reefs, strong currents, and copious large game. At places there you can dive between the African and Asian tectonic plates and touch one with each hand, knowing that in due course (quite a long time actually) they will be as far apart as the Atlantic is wide. And Ras Mohammed is still a great place to visit. But the diving in the deep south (but still in Egypt) is still unspoiled, and best visited from a liveaboard.

Unfortunately, Peter, this is not what we experienced. We were on a liveaboard and, from what I understand, in and around Tiran. If I return to dive here it will be in the Sudan region since, quite frankly, I was very disappointed in what I saw. To me, seeing one moray eel in a dive should not be an exciting and unexpected thing. We saw one barracuda the entire time. My understanding is that these waters used to be filled with sharks and barracudas but, alas, no more. I was also with people who had dived these waters in the past and they could not believe the stark change and were very sad to see what has happened. One of our friends here is very good friends with the Ministers of the Environment and Tourism. We have been asked to provide letters with our observations for consideration on how to start to take steps to try to preserve this once great area.

[peterbj7]

Very sad. I haven't been to the area for 6 years, and when I was there then I dived with dolphins, saw hammerheads, numerous turtles, etc.

[6Gill]

Later that night while walking up the streets of Aswan I also discovered that, for a certain number of camals, I could be bought from my parents. Given that we never did come to an agreement on that number, the mystery remains as to how many camels I really am worth.....

For future reference let your father know he'll get a better price if you're a red head.
By the way what is the exchange rate of camels to moose?

[ScubaGary]

Your trip sounds pretty amazing. However, it sounds like you are somewhat disappointed with the diving.

It has always been one of my dreams to dive the Red Sea. Do you think that it is not really as good as it used to be, and I should move it down the scale from some of the other top world destination like Truk Lagoon, Australia and the like?

This is my first post on SingleDivers .com. I promise that others will be shorter.

My ex-SO and I were in Egypt in 2000 for three days of diving out of a hotel in Sharm el Sheik then a liveaboard, Miss Veena, out of Hurgada that took us to The Brothers Islands much farther South and then a land-based trip much like Michelle’s.

From my experience, the interesting thing about Sharm was not the diving itself but the process. It was like diving with the Keystone Cops (for those of you who may be old enough to know who the Keystone Cops were).

It starts with the chaos on the docks. Many more dive boats in one place than I have seen either before or since. And not only were there all the boats tied up at the dock but many more circling like vultures waiting for a boat to leave so that could tie up and embark their divers. With all of the boats there were all of the divers trying to figure out which boat was theirs and waiting to board and people delivering supplies and the boat crews getting the boats ready to leave. There was just a huge mass of humanity milling aimlessly about.

We would meet at the front of the hotel every morning for a dive briefing and to be transported to the docks. Our gear was loaded into a pickup truck and about 20 of us were transported in separate vans and that usually worked very well. However, one morning a wetsuit blew out of the pickup. While we boarded the boat, one of the divemasters and the diver drove back to try and find it. In all of the chaos the boat left without them.

It wasn’t long before the DM and the diver were missed, however, it was long enough for another boat to fill the empty space at the dock. The DM and diver returned with the wetsuit and climbed to the bow one of one of the docked boats which was tied up with its stern to the dock. Our boat approached the docked boat so that our missing passengers could jump from bow to bow.

Unfortunately, our Captain’s boat handling skills left a little to be desired and he hit the other boat a little too hard and bent the other boat’s railing. Much screaming and yelling in the crew’s native tongue ensued. One of the other boat’s crew appeared almost immediately with a small sledge hammer which he used to brandish at our crew and hammer the railing back almost into its original .shape. It really appears that things like this happen all of the time. Our missing passengers did manage jump from the docked boat onto our boat without additional incident. All of this entertainment and we have barely left the dock. (now if the diving was as entertaining).

It appears that there are many more boats than dive sites and more than one boat ties up at a site by rafting to the boat that is tied to the mooring. There is a law/policy/common sense etc. that limits the number boats that can raft. The limit is something like three. We were boat six when we arrived.

When we arrived other boat’s divers were already in the water. While we were in the water two additional boats rafted to our boat. With all of the divers in the water and all of the boat traffic it is amazing that people don’t get hurt (or maybe they do).

With all of the divers in the water it easy to get confused about which group you are with. We had two of our divers end up back on the wrong boat and had one from another boat end up with us. It appears that “prisoner” exchanges are common among Sharm dive boats.

I have heard the Thistlegorm wreck and Ras Mohammad are excellent dives. However, I am afraid that the typical Sharm crowds would detract from the experience. Our trip to The Brothers was much more pleasant with better dive sites down and back, lack of crowds and no chaos.

An opinion regarding ScubaDadMiami comments. There is no question that I would go back to Truk in an instant, I might go back to the Southern Red Sea but only after doing many other destinations first and I would never go back to Sharm. Having said that, the land based activities are an amazing trip.

gary

[cmt489]

While I have not yet gotten around to posting my final reports, the good news is that the gallery of all the pictures has now been posted here.

[Dive_Girl]

WELCOME HOME!! And yes, thank you for sharing your photos - they are so fabulous! My favorites, besides the ones of the structure and historical sites, are the local people and children shots! Well done my friend! Well done!

[madlobster]

Hotair balloons............WOW! Good for you, more than I'd do