Middle East Recommendations Please

[Jayne Ward]

Hi!
Can anyone recommend somewhere either in Egypt or Jordan that would be good for novice divers. I actually need to complete my training (Open Water section) but the main issue is I need a HUGE confidence boost! I have enjoyed the diving but it is an ordeal, mainly due to my insecurities! I am just finding that one 'attempted' dive every 2-3 weeks is not working for me - it's too stressful! So I'd like to have a go at spending a few days concentrating on just diving ... making any sense?!
How do we recognise a good dive operation from a bad one?
My husband should be finishing his training shortly, so if you know of somewhere where we can both get the experience we need and enjoy ourselves PLEASE let us know.
Thank you

[alison boler]

Hi
Sorry to hear you are having a bit of a problem with organising your training. 2 - 3 weeks between training sessions is just TOO LONG at the beginning if you're a bit nervous. Which is not uncommon and entirely to be expected, so don't go worrying too much. You're right - you need some concentrated sessions to get your confidence back. And you need to do them with an operator who does a lot of training rather than a lot of "take you diving". And they need to speak good English, have excellent equipment, good safety etc etc. The locations you go to should give a really easy entrance and exit to the water, nice viz, something good to look at - reminds you why you're going through all this!!

I like beach entry for the first couple of dives, especially in gin clear water, or a boat entry where the boat is either in 3m or less or a very short surface swim to that sort of depth. My reasons for this are that quite often new divers - especially if they've only dived in the UK - can find the prospect of jumping into 20m of gin clear water very offputting.

You don't say which agency you are training with, so I can't recommend a school in particular. Looking at resorts in Egypt, I suppose Sharm is the obvious. Good tourist infrastructure, range of sites, lots of dive schools. I took my daughters there for their open water training and it worked well. There are some places like Shark Bay where you can dive right off the shore and there are some lovely schools of fish and little coral heads in just a few metres - it's easy and you feel very good and keen to continue right away because of the beauty around you. Then we progressed to the boats and there is a site called Ras Katy which is right around the corner of Sharm Harbour where the boat can tie up in about 3m very near the drop off which is only about 6m to the bottom. You can dive the small wall there and some gorgeous coral pinnacles. There are plenty of other good beginner sites like that in Sharm. Plus of course you can progress up to some great dives if you have time.

Jordan is also good for beginner diving. Beach diving too. But it is harder to get to than Sharm.

Eilat used to be the best place - you dive off the beach - but Israel is difficult now.

Let me know what agency you are training with and I'll recommend some operators to finish training with if I can. And don't forget: it's meant to be a pleasure. Lots of people find it so, but some don't. Give it a go in Egypt, but if you still don't feel comfortable or really enjoy diving - it isn't the end of the world, there are plenty of other things to do.

All the best.

Allie

[Jayne Ward]

Thanks for the encouragement Allie, your quick response was appreciated.

We live in the Middle East so a trip to Egypt or Jordan is a possibilty. I am not sure what you mean by agency, sorry. We are training as BSAC Ocean Divers - does that help?

I think in the lead up to the dive I get all anxious, making it a bigger issue than it is. So the long boat ride out, the kitting up and first 5 minutes in the water are just stressful.
Once I am in and under I start to chill out.

Unfortunately we are travelling soon and there wont be a chance to try again for a couple of months, I don't want this bad experience put me off something that can be so enjoyable.

Thanks again for your advice Allie. I look forward to hearing more, it certainly lifted my hopes of making positive progress.

[David Dixon]

Thanks for the encouragement Allie, your quick response was appreciated.

We live in the Middle East so a trip to Egypt or Jordan is a possibilty. I am not sure what you mean by agency, sorry. We are training as BSAC Ocean Divers - does that help?

I think in the lead up to the dive I get all anxious, making it a bigger issue than it is. So the long boat ride out, the kitting up and first 5 minutes in the water are just stressful.
Once I am in and under I start to chill out.

Unfortunately we are travelling soon and there wont be a chance to try again for a couple of months, I don't want this bad experience put me off something that can be so enjoyable.

Thanks again for your advice Allie. I look forward to hearing more, it certainly lifted my hopes of making positive progress.

Hi Jayne

There is a lot of sense in what Allie says, but one or two additional points for you to consider:

There are very few BSAC Schools in Egypt at present, so it may well pay to finish your Ocean Diver qualification before you go.

Choice of Sharm el Sheikh or Hurgarda may depend on your interest in post dive activities and whether you like these increasing urban sprawls! You might be better off going up the Sinai peninsular to Dahab or Tabah. These are quieter resorts and a little less commercialised and accordingly less pressurised. At Dahab you will only get shore diving (or the day boat south if there are enough takers). Although entry at most sites is by crossing a few metres of rock before the mainly gentle drop offs, there are also beach entries at such sites as Lighthouse, Islands and Eel Gardens. A resort that I have stayed at some three times is the Bedhouin Moon hotel and dived with Reef 2000 which adjoins the hotel. Reef is run by a Scot, Dave Elgin, who is also GM of the hotel.

There are various reports on the Travel Club website on Egypt, so have a browse through at: <a href="http://www.bsactravelclub.co.uk/where/egypt.htm" >http://www.bsactravelclub.co.uk/where/egypt.htm</a>

Good luck

David

[Lorraine Munden]

Hi

I actually did all my Open Water dives in Eilat with Aqua Sport they were very good nice easy shore dives the Instructors were excellent - as the only 2 BSAC divers we were the only two trainees with one Instructor who also took time out with me as a very 'nervous diver'. I have lived in Eilat 18 months now and apart from the hassle of getting into the Country courtesy of airport security here I think it's a good place for a training diver. This is of course only my opinion. If you want anymore info just e-mail me.

Hi!
Can anyone recommend somewhere either in Egypt or Jordan that would be good for novice divers. I actually need to complete my training (Open Water section) but the main issue is I need a HUGE confidence boost! I have enjoyed the diving but it is an ordeal, mainly due to my insecurities! I am just finding that one 'attempted' dive every 2-3 weeks is not working for me - it's too stressful! So I'd like to have a go at spending a few days concentrating on just diving ... making any sense?!
How do we recognise a good dive operation from a bad one?
My husband should be finishing his training shortly, so if you know of somewhere where we can both get the experience we need and enjoy ourselves PLEASE let us know.
Thank you

[NeilB]

Jayne,

as you already live in the Middle East here is an offer you don't see often.....

Fly to Oman (cheap inter-gulf flights) and Muscat Divers BSAC 621 will finish off your training. We train a couple of times a week and have another 8 Ocean Divers waiting to start the course at the moment. The water is gin clear and 34 degC with rumuors of small whale shark spottings.

Our dives go out Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday so the rest of the time you can enjoy the country and do some exploring.

Email me for more details.....

[Kevin Fletcher-Biles]

Hi!
Can anyone recommend somewhere either in Egypt or Jordan that would be good for novice divers. I actually need to complete my training (Open Water section) but the main issue is I need a HUGE confidence boost! I have enjoyed the diving but it is an ordeal, mainly due to my insecurities! I am just finding that one 'attempted' dive every 2-3 weeks is not working for me - it's too stressful! So I'd like to have a go at spending a few days concentrating on just diving ... making any sense?!
How do we recognise a good dive operation from a bad one?
My husband should be finishing his training shortly, so if you know of somewhere where we can both get the experience we need and enjoy ourselves PLEASE let us know.
Thank you

I can certainly back up the recomendation for Muscat, Oman. I went with Oman Divers at Al Bustan who have some great facilities on the beach but I don't think they are BSAC. The water is nice and warm and the dive sites uncrowded so very pleasant diving.