Diving the Indian Ocean from coastal East Africa

In article <1138976289.511750.190230@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups .com>,
recscuba_google@huntzinger.com (-hh) wrote:

> Thanks; have you used this company?

Yes, if you look at my Egypt page i actually recommend them, they have an
operation in Sharm which i allways use.........and also in Africa.

> FWIW, I'm trying to get a bit beyond the normal website marketing ... I
> don't think I've ever seen a dive operation website who's said "the
> diving here isn't very good, but please come anyway"

Yes, most business's are not in the business of sales limitation......
Allthough i take that back after reminding myself of the way we as
customers get spoken to at times......
www.seatreker.com
Dave Morgan @ Work in the UK

morgand@cix.compulink.co.uk wrote:
>recscuba_google@huntzinger.com (-hh) wrote:
>
> > Thanks; have you used this company?
>
> Yes, if you look at my Egypt page i actually recommend them, they have an
> operation in Sharm which i allways use.........and also in Africa.
>
> > FWIW, I'm trying to get a bit beyond the normal website marketing ... I
> > don't think I've ever seen a dive operation website who's said "the
> > diving here isn't very good, but please come anyway"
>
> Yes, most business's are not in the business of sales limitation......
> Allthough i take that back after reminding myself of the way we as
> customers get spoken to at times......


So it sounds like this is a good company up in Sharm, but the actual
quality of the diving down near Dar-Es-Salaam ...further off the beaten
path... is the unknown. Okay, I can cope with that.


-hh

In article <1139139837.882599.267460@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups .com>,
recscuba_google@huntzinger.com (-hh) wrote:

> So it sounds like this is a good company up in Sharm, but the actual
> quality of the diving down near Dar-Es-Salaam ...further off the beaten
> path... is the unknown. Okay, I can cope with that.

If you look at their website they do have operations down that way.

www.seatreker.com
Dave Morgan @ Work in the UK

"-hh" <recscuba_google@huntzinger.com> wrote in message news:1138973263.254276.218860@g49g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
Looking at a trip yonder to East Africa...possibility exists of adding
a couple of extra days on a small island not too far from
Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania.

Diving's not the primary purpose of the trip...wondering if the
diving's good enough to be worth dragging along the extra gear & UW
Camera for just a couple of days or not. Looks like there's warm &
clear water, but not sure about critter life...pelagics, big stuff, or
been fished out, etc.


Anyone been over that way & have any comments?





>> I did 7 dives with One Ocean in Zanzibar in April of 1997. It is a good
operation. Phone 255-811-32-82-06.
Kizimikazi is the reef, Bawi Island is another spot. Murogo and Cowrey were
two other sites I did with Sea Breeze Dive Center in Dar es Salaam. Phone
255-0812-783-241.

Water temp was 82 F., viz 60' +, all the dives were gentle drift dives with
plenty of life to see.

Except for the local fisherman dropping dynamite on the reef while we were
diving, it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

This next part is someone who replied to me when I asked the same question several
years ago:

"There are 3 or 4 Dive shops in "Stone Town", which is the
old part of Zanzibar City. My friends who lived there liked the "ONE OCEAN"
dive shop, which is located behind the Africa House Hotel. There is also a
South African run dive shop called "INDIAN OCEAN DIVERS" it's on the street
the runs along the Harbor. Either can rent you any equipment you need and
help
arrange excursions. Also a Local Zanzibari named Mr. Chung rents out a
single
boat and some old but reportedly reliable equipment. He can be found by
asking
around the cab stands or by local phone=31758. If you need a clean modest
Hotel while there try the KIPONDA HOTEL. Finally, the government has recently
established a National Marine Park on and around Chumbe Island, which is
about
8 miles SW of Stone Town. The park has a WEB Site at;
"http://www.coral.org/NGO/CHICOP.html".It boasts some of the best reef
diving
in the world. Any time in Zanzibar is always unforgettable, I'm sure you'll
have a great trip. "




I know this info is dated, but hope it helps.



--
But then again, what do I know?

Lou Vallone

LouVallone@aol.com

http://members.aol.com/LouVallone

Lou Vallone wrote:
> "-hh" <recscuba_google@huntzinger.com> wrote:
>> Anyone been over that way & have any comments?
>
> I did 7 dives with One Ocean in Zanzibar in April of 1997...
>
> Water temp was 82 F., viz 60' +, all the dives were gentle drift dives with
> plenty of life to see.
>
> Except for the local fisherman dropping dynamite on the reef while we were
> diving, it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience.
>
> ...
>
> I know this info is dated, but hope it helps.

Yes, it does help. Based on Dave Morgan's comments, it looks like the
area has good enough dive operators today, which effectively distilled
my question down to if the diving was good enough for lugging the bag
for at most 2 days of diving. For 60ft viz and a short stop, I think
I'll pass, as I'll have enough other stuff on my plate.

FWIW, the place I was thinking of going wasn't on Zanzibar Island, but
was a small, well-rated private island named "Lazy Lagoon". Its
technically in the Zanzibar Channel, but its much closer to the
mainland, being just 15 minutes by boat offshore of Bagamoyo ... the
oldest town in Tanzania, and a world heritage site. Bagamoyo is an
hour's drive north of Dar es Salaam on reportedly poor roads (another
strike), and a photo of Bagamoyo's waterfront showed fishing boats
grounded by low tide, so with this evidence of a pretty significant
tide, which with non-rocky shorelines often means poor viz, it didn't
appear necessarily too promising...hence my inquiry.


Thanks again, both you and Dave.


-hh