First Trip Red Sea Narma Bay - Equipment

[inet-projects]

Hi Guys,

We have a marine aquarium at home here in Germany and for a few years dreamed about vistiting the Red Sea. Anyway we have just booked for September and we are looking forward now to the trip and have several questions.

We intend to snorkel but myself and 11 year old might pluck up the courage to do a dive course, I am a big guy so getting gear to fit is a problem, and we would only intend to snorkel / dive in the warmer climes, would just a Rash/Lycra vest and swim shorts suffice or would we need wet suits ?

We already have not dive boots but Aqua Spere water shoes, would these suffice with open back fins or do you suggest boots ?

I know we need t go for comfart but if the open back fin is a go with the Aqua Shere shoes can you recommend a fin that you would say is a god make and model ?

Is there anythink else I would really need like gloves etc or is this Ott ?

We already have good quality masks and snorkels that we have used in our local lakes for a couple of years.

Thanks

Dave

[TerryH]

Hi Guys,

We have a marine aquarium at home here in Germany and for a few years dreamed about vistiting the Red Sea. Anyway we have just booked for September and we are looking forward now to the trip and have several questions.

We intend to snorkel but myself and 11 year old might pluck up the courage to do a dive course, I am a big guy so getting gear to fit is a problem, and we would only intend to snorkel / dive in the warmer climes, would just a Rash/Lycra vest and swim shorts suffice or would we need wet suits ?

We already have not dive boots but Aqua Spere water shoes, would these suffice with open back fins or do you suggest boots ?

I know we need t go for comfart but if the open back fin is a go with the Aqua Shere shoes can you recommend a fin that you would say is a god make and model ?

Is there anythink else I would really need like gloves etc or is this Ott ?

We already have good quality masks and snorkels that we have used in our local lakes for a couple of years.

Thanks

Dave

Yeah go in and buy a cheap basic weight belt that will take what lumps you
need and still fit. Cost about £10 max and along with a few retainers means
not only that it will fit, but that some git wont strip it down.

T.

[sharmite]

I am glad to hear you are looking forward to coming to Sharm,In september rash vest or shortie will be more than OK.Gloves are not allowed here to try to discourage touching of the reef.For fins Mares X3 Fins are a good cheap allrounder.Where are you staying in Sharm.If you check out your hotel it will probably have a dive centre.You could reduce the time it takes to do your course by checking out the new E learning on the main PADI webpage www.padi.com. If you do the E learning it greatly reduces the classroom sessions meaning more holiday and diving..
Have fun

[Steve in Sharm]

I am glad to hear you are looking forward to coming to Sharm,In september rash vest or shortie will be more than OK.Gloves are not allowed here to try to discourage touching of the reef.For fins Mares X3 Fins are a good cheap allrounder.Where are you staying in Sharm.If you check out your hotel it will probably have a dive centre.You could reduce the time it takes to do your course by checking out the new E learning on the main PADI webpage www.padi.com. If you do the E learning it greatly reduces the classroom sessions meaning more holiday and diving..
Have fun

Gobsmacked, absolutely gobsmacked that you have the cheek to promote a PADI course on the BSAC forums page :eek:

Whats wrong with Dave joining his local BSAC club and learning from there? (yes, there are 4 BSAC clubs in Germany).

Dave,

What suit you wear all depends on your body make up and resistance to cold. True most of us here will be in Shorts n T'shirts/rashie etc in the water, but if you're on the skinny side then you may require something warmer. As a guide, water temperature around then will be 27/28 degrees.

PM me if you want details of your local British Sub Aqua Club.

Regards

Steve

[Steve in Sharm]

Hi Steve,

As mentioned in my mail I am a rather big guy clothes wise 4xl to 5 xl but trying to get fit again (ex cyclist) I would tend to use it in the warmer climbs only like Sharm and also looking at Malta/Gozo for next year, Live in Munich.

For fins I have those Aqua Shere neoprene shoes , will they be okay with open back fins and I would be looking at average to good quality as this is good excercise at my weight at the moment and hopefully will have the courage for the try dive and and, my 11 year old is a fish so he is really exited

Stopping at the Iberotel Narma bay, heard that snorkelling there is great.

Regards & Thanks

Dave

Dave, Morgen, Grus Gock,

OK, so big (as am I), you'll be ok in rashie etc, but not so sure about Malta - kids dont feel the cold until we adults tell em, so he'll be ok :D .

There are 4 Brit clubs in Germany but are all in the North so not of much use to you, sorry.

Not heard of the shoes you mention but should be ok if they have the sole "curl up" at the heal to protect you foot from the rubber finstrap.

There are 4 Iberotels in Sharm, mainly German run - but dont think you'll have a problem with that ;) Let me know which one and I'll recommend best snorkel sites.

Is your lad mainly an English or German speaker? If German then I recommend Werner Lau for the try-dive, if English then I'll let you know the best/nearest centre to you when you let me know which hotel.

Regards

Choose (not sure I spelt that right, my germans a bit rusty).

Steve

PS. Have copied this to main thread incase others have similar Q's.

[inet-projects]

Hi Steve

Aua Sphere shoes http://www.deepbluedive.com/product.aspx?id=11531

With the Rash Shirt should I go long or short sleeve and why ?

We are stopping at the Iberotel Lido ??? Narma Bay

The boy is fluent in German & English he has been through German schools,

Thanks for the help as it is difficult when you get out your own country to buy the right things, If you have any knowledge of under water cameras as well that would be usefull I was looking at the Sealife DC 600 but its just a tad expensive......

Big Big Thanks

Dave

[Steve in Sharm]

Hi Steve

Thanks for the help as it is difficult when you get out your own country to buy the right things, If you have any knowledge of under water cameras as well that would be usefull I was looking at the Sealife DC 600 but its just a tad expensive......

Big Big Thanks

Dave

Abent Dave,

Not sure about that camera, we have a regular guest here who has one and quality isn't to good - though to be honest I dont know if that is her or the camera, its a lot of cash though.

Do you already have a digital camera? If so you could just buy a housing for that and save cash - take a look at

http://www.camerasunderwater.co.uk/

They may be able to help on that one.

Regards

Steve

[Steph]

in 2003 when i looked into this there was a BSAc branch in Darmstad Associated to ESA european space agency.
That is south west Germany though, so also too much of a treck from Munich to make it worth your while i suppose.

[Steph]

I find proper scuba fins a pain when snorkeling.
They make for boyant feet (OK i used think cold water booties with them so maybe that is the problem) and you knaker yourself out without getting much thrust i find.

You say you snorkeled in a like in Germany. What fins did you use there?
And if it is comfortable why change it?

I have used the mares pool fins I own for over 10 years now for Tropical scuba diving as well as snorkleling.
They are a bit soft so slow on acceleration, but then very efficient once you got going. I would have a slight concern fighting a really strong current in full scuba gear.

I used to love a full foot fin called F1 or F2 which i used to buy from my local Dive store in Germany back in the 80s and early 90s. They were broad blade and stiffer than the mares. excelent acceleration and power thrust and still comfortable for a slow bimble. I would have no concerns to use them as my main scuba fins. only trouble was they used to always break at the same point inside foot side joint of schuh and blade.

If you are looking at tropical only I would go round the local dive stores and see which foot once will fit you well and ask if they have a show pair you could borrow and try in water.
Contact your local UW-Rugby team to and ask if during thier warm up session they will let you try some of thier fins!

It is amazing how dry vs wet fit can change your opinion on a fin!
(or maybe i'm just too picky)

The main reason I took take strap fins with me to jamaica was as i had been taught in my dive course that booties are essential to cross over the reef crest from the lagoon to the outside of the reef without injurting my feet.

I ended up not doing that it was not allowed by the marine lab and when i decided to go anayway and used my strap fins i got knackered before I got there... Snorkled either from a boat or where the were chanells through to the outer reef instead.

So i won't ever waste my precious baggage allowance by taking strap fins and booties again, unless i also take my Drysuit.
If i find I need to cross the reef top i would buy cheap beach schuhs carry them on the fin out and depostit them on the other side of the obstacle and pic them up again on the way back...

I have no expreience with rash vests but I would think it is mainly a sun protection thing (otherwise i would buy a 3mm wetsuit).
So Presonally I would buy full lenth rash suit rather than vest! (try before you buy if you can?)

That said snorkeling is most comfortable in just a pair of speedos!
(if you can live with the Brit and Yanky fellow holiday makers snigerning at you...)

[inet-projects]

Guys

Big thank you for the input, there are three large stores here in munich that sell scuba / snork gear, the first we went in and spent 30 mins trying to find someone who could help and the place was empty, second was a guy who was dripping knowelledge and he had good engish as well so we converesed in both to get the requirements across.

What we ended up with was :-

Wife
Mares Lycra all in one long sleeve and leg UV/rash guard.
Fins Tusa Xpert zoom split fin full foot, she is short and thin and the guy explained they wouldnt be as tiring as others.

Son 11yrs
Mares Lycra all in one long sleeve and leg UV/rash gaurd.
Fins Cressi Pro Star

Me
Now for a sight to see, and have a good laugh, He tried to get me in a XL rash guard as above, legs and arse went fine then we came to a abrut halt, I am unsually a 4/5 XL in T Shirt, it wasnt going to happen so I declined as he said they where super stretch, good beer in Munich.

My feet are 11/12 in English sizes and I had read on most sites that comfort was key we tried loads of pairs and it came down to a pair of Cressi Rondinella which fitted like a glove.

Came home and searched the net, found a full Rash gaurd in the states 6XL so I have one in the post so we will wait and see.

We all got each a Neoprene pair of water shoes and a IQ Snorkel bag, so I am now skint.

Someone mentioned why dont we use our old fins, we bought our maskes & snorkels last year as it was so warm here but never bothered with the fins, reason why I asking all the questions now.


Big thanks again guys and have a good weekeend.

Dave