Recommendations for family diving in Sharm-Al-Sheikh

I just got back from diving there last week. Most popular at the moment is
5mm shorties (28 degrees) but by December you should be in a full suit. Viz
around Ras Mohammed was 25m. Stayed at Hyatt which was excellent and used
their dive center which is run by Red Sea Diving College. The Hilton further
down the beach looked better for beach activities (not Dreams).

As an aside, I've got young children (6 & 9) and they really liked the Kids
Club at the Hyatt. It gave Mom and Dad the chance to sneak off diving.

Ian

I just got back from diving there last week. Most popular at the moment is
5mm shorties (28 degrees) but by December you should be in a full suit. Viz
around Ras Mohammed was 25m. Stayed at Hyatt which was excellent and used
their dive center which is run by Red Sea Diving College. The Hilton further
down the beach looked better for beach activities (not Dreams).

As an aside, I've got young children (6 & 9) and they really liked the Kids
Club at the Hyatt. It gave Mom and Dad the chance to sneak off diving.

Ian

I just got back from diving there last week. Most popular at the moment is
5mm shorties (28 degrees) but by December you should be in a full suit. Viz
around Ras Mohammed was 25m. Stayed at Hyatt which was excellent and used
their dive center which is run by Red Sea Diving College. The Hilton further
down the beach looked better for beach activities (not Dreams).

As an aside, I've got young children (6 & 9) and they really liked the Kids
Club at the Hyatt. It gave Mom and Dad the chance to sneak off diving.

Ian

I just got back from diving there last week. Most popular at the moment is
5mm shorties (28 degrees) but by December you should be in a full suit. Viz
around Ras Mohammed was 25m. Stayed at Hyatt which was excellent and used
their dive center which is run by Red Sea Diving College. The Hilton further
down the beach looked better for beach activities (not Dreams).

As an aside, I've got young children (6 & 9) and they really liked the Kids
Club at the Hyatt. It gave Mom and Dad the chance to sneak off diving.

Ian

"Ian" <ianwi@nospam.hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:418eaaee$0$4007$ed2619ec@ptn-nntp-reader01.plus.net...
>I just got back from diving there last week. Most popular at the moment is
> 5mm shorties (28 degrees) but by December you should be in a full suit.
> Viz
> around Ras Mohammed was 25m. Stayed at Hyatt which was excellent and used
> their dive center which is run by Red Sea Diving College. The Hilton
> further
> down the beach looked better for beach activities (not Dreams).

Are not most shorties 3mm??

As suit thickness is a frequently asked question - from doing a search the
best advice seem to be:

"In summer time a 3mm shorty is suggested. If you plan to do more than two
dives a day then a 3mm full suit or 5mm is better. In winter, a full suit
5mm is advised, unless you are planning to do more than two dives a day. If
you plan to do more then two dives a full 5 or 7mm semi dry is best" - From
the climate chart is appears that winter see temps run from December to May
when the temp can be as "low" as 20degrees.

This advice appears to match various other comments, athough actual
requirements may vary according to how much you feel the cost & personal
insulation levels!!!

For most divers a 3mm shorty, 3mm full length and drysuit should cover most
eventualities in the tropics, the med and at home. If the shorty isnt warm
enough you then have the option of the full length, full length with hood,
shorty & full length combined with hood, or drysuit.

"Ian" <ianwi@nospam.hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:418eaaee$0$4007$ed2619ec@ptn-nntp-reader01.plus.net...
>I just got back from diving there last week. Most popular at the moment is
> 5mm shorties (28 degrees) but by December you should be in a full suit.
> Viz
> around Ras Mohammed was 25m. Stayed at Hyatt which was excellent and used
> their dive center which is run by Red Sea Diving College. The Hilton
> further
> down the beach looked better for beach activities (not Dreams).

Are not most shorties 3mm??

As suit thickness is a frequently asked question - from doing a search the
best advice seem to be:

"In summer time a 3mm shorty is suggested. If you plan to do more than two
dives a day then a 3mm full suit or 5mm is better. In winter, a full suit
5mm is advised, unless you are planning to do more than two dives a day. If
you plan to do more then two dives a full 5 or 7mm semi dry is best" - From
the climate chart is appears that winter see temps run from December to May
when the temp can be as "low" as 20degrees.

This advice appears to match various other comments, athough actual
requirements may vary according to how much you feel the cost & personal
insulation levels!!!

For most divers a 3mm shorty, 3mm full length and drysuit should cover most
eventualities in the tropics, the med and at home. If the shorty isnt warm
enough you then have the option of the full length, full length with hood,
shorty & full length combined with hood, or drysuit.

"Ian" <ianwi@nospam.hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:418eaaee$0$4007$ed2619ec@ptn-nntp-reader01.plus.net...
>I just got back from diving there last week. Most popular at the moment is
> 5mm shorties (28 degrees) but by December you should be in a full suit.
> Viz
> around Ras Mohammed was 25m. Stayed at Hyatt which was excellent and used
> their dive center which is run by Red Sea Diving College. The Hilton
> further
> down the beach looked better for beach activities (not Dreams).

Are not most shorties 3mm??

As suit thickness is a frequently asked question - from doing a search the
best advice seem to be:

"In summer time a 3mm shorty is suggested. If you plan to do more than two
dives a day then a 3mm full suit or 5mm is better. In winter, a full suit
5mm is advised, unless you are planning to do more than two dives a day. If
you plan to do more then two dives a full 5 or 7mm semi dry is best" - From
the climate chart is appears that winter see temps run from December to May
when the temp can be as "low" as 20degrees.

This advice appears to match various other comments, athough actual
requirements may vary according to how much you feel the cost & personal
insulation levels!!!

For most divers a 3mm shorty, 3mm full length and drysuit should cover most
eventualities in the tropics, the med and at home. If the shorty isnt warm
enough you then have the option of the full length, full length with hood,
shorty & full length combined with hood, or drysuit.

"Ian" <ianwi@nospam.hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:418eaaee$0$4007$ed2619ec@ptn-nntp-reader01.plus.net...
>I just got back from diving there last week. Most popular at the moment is
> 5mm shorties (28 degrees) but by December you should be in a full suit.
> Viz
> around Ras Mohammed was 25m. Stayed at Hyatt which was excellent and used
> their dive center which is run by Red Sea Diving College. The Hilton
> further
> down the beach looked better for beach activities (not Dreams).

Are not most shorties 3mm??

As suit thickness is a frequently asked question - from doing a search the
best advice seem to be:

"In summer time a 3mm shorty is suggested. If you plan to do more than two
dives a day then a 3mm full suit or 5mm is better. In winter, a full suit
5mm is advised, unless you are planning to do more than two dives a day. If
you plan to do more then two dives a full 5 or 7mm semi dry is best" - From
the climate chart is appears that winter see temps run from December to May
when the temp can be as "low" as 20degrees.

This advice appears to match various other comments, athough actual
requirements may vary according to how much you feel the cost & personal
insulation levels!!!

For most divers a 3mm shorty, 3mm full length and drysuit should cover most
eventualities in the tropics, the med and at home. If the shorty isnt warm
enough you then have the option of the full length, full length with hood,
shorty & full length combined with hood, or drysuit.

My daughter aged 16 yrs is a recently qualified PADI Advanced Diver and,
therefore, needs to broaden her diving experience. We, inc her Mum, are keen
to go to Sharm mid Dec. I would be grateful if anyone can provide the
following information:

* Diving conditions particularly visibility, currents and wind.
* Family orientated live on boards or a mixed live on board and based in a
hotel, preferably doing a 10 day holiday package.
* Advise whether it should be a 5mm or 3mm wet suit at this time of year.

Many thanks

Brian

On Sun, 31 Oct 2004 08:19:33 +0000 (UTC) in uk.rec.scuba,
helenbrian.jones says:

>* Diving conditions particularly visibility, currents and wind.
>* Family orientated live on boards or a mixed live on board and based in a
>hotel, preferably doing a 10 day holiday package.
>* Advise whether it should be a 5mm or 3mm wet suit at this time of year.

Have a look at the google archives, this comes up regularly and as
always there's several opinions. Explorers usually have deals for
December/January but excluding the Christmas period when prices
rocket. I've been the in January the last 2 years, the water has been
~22C, viability 30m or so, sometimes a little windy.

Personally I wear a 3mm shortie in those conditions but I have seen
people wearing drysuits. You say your daughter is recently qualified
AOW but not how much diving she's done, if it's the minimum needed to
reach AOW (9 dives) the livaboard will most likely be out as they
often ask for 50+ dives logged.

--
Ian
"Democracy, what we need - Kakistocracy what we've got"