Just got back from Red Sea livaboard and thought i'd share these.

**jb2cool** · November 19th, 2006, 03:44 PM

Ok, it's not remotely DIR but i thought since it was in the General section it'd be ok.

Click on them for a bigger image.

LCF · November 19th, 2006, 04:40 PM

What's not DIR about enjoying looking at fish? I didn't see anything in JJ's book that said that the only legitimate diving is on wrecks . . .

Great pictures. They make me want to go someplace warmer!

tim · November 19th, 2006, 04:55 PM

You found a turtle! Fantastic - I know that was on your list of things you were hoping to see :-)

So, tell us more! Which sites did you dive? How was the diving? Details, details! Having had a long chat with the two of you about this at the drinks in London a couple of weeks back I'm fascinated to hear how it all went.

Tim

*David Martin* · November 19th, 2006, 08:01 PM

What do you mean its not DIR? [I'm presuming that you didn't take the pictures solo on an inspiration...]

You can dive DIR on reefs and scenic dives just as you can on wrecks and in caves. The situational awareness and team awareness are as important and useful over delicate environments just as they are over silty ones. People initially assumed that DIR was just about cave/technical...and there's still a perception that its cave/wreck/technical...but it's really for everyone who wants to make their diving better and more enjoyable so that they can see more of what they want to see be it the end of the line in Wakulla, a wreck in the channel or some pretty fish and coral in the tropics. If we all liked the same thing there would be a couple of very crowded sites and a huge amount of the ocean with no-one in it.

David

**jb2cool** · November 19th, 2006, 10:43 PM

I've just been flamed in the past for posting things that some are not so interested in.

Ok, here are the details ~(I'll keep it fairly brief though as i'm tired).

Flew into Sharm on Saturday the 11th and landed at about 4pm local time. We then got on a coatch that took us down to Travco marina where we met our boat (Bella 1). We were moored up there overnight waiting for another group coming from Manchester on a later flight.

6am Sunday morning we start moving. We are heading round the tip of Sinai to a small reef system called "The Alternatives" for a check dive.
After "The Alternatives" we cross over the Gulf of Suez to Sha'Ab Abu Nuhas were we did "The Carnatic" and then a night dive on the reef itself. It was quite nice to be sheltered by the reef a bit as Emma wasn't feeling so hot after the rough crossing.

Monday and still at Sha'Ab Abu Nuhas and the Giannis D. and the Chrisoula K. beckon. These were nice wrecks, a bit more intact than The Carnatic so a bit more my cup of tea. After lunch we cross over to Gubal island to dive the Barge in the afternoon and then again that night.

Tuesday and the Rosalie Moller is calling. We chug round the top of Gubal island and moor up on the Rosalie and do two dives on that (Hardly any time on the wreck when you only have a single cylinder). Then it's back round to the Barge again for a little afternoon dive and another night dive.

Wednesday and we are on the move again. This time we are heading souther to Big Gubal island to do a reef wall dive at a site called Malak. We were just hanging around reallyto let the wind drop for our crossing back over the gulf. Mid-morning and the wind dropped a little so back over the gulf we go and we are heading towards Shag Rock where we dive the Kingston/Sara H. After lunch we head on over to The Thistlegorm where we do an aftenoon dive and then a night dive.

Thursday and only time for one more dive on the Thistlegorm before we have to leave. Then it's The Dunraven and after that a shallow reef dive calle Small Crack where we have our afternoon and night dive.

Friday and it's the last day diving. Yolanda and Shark reef first (This is where we found the turtle) and then a second dive on Ras Ghazlani before heading back to Travco marina to get transfered to our hotel and 24 hours to off-gas before our flight.

Saturday and we just lie by the pool waiting it out and then all too soon it's off to the airport for us.

tim · November 20th, 2006, 01:26 AM

Quote: (Originally Posted by jb2cool)

Travco marina

Memories of saying this over and over again to uncomprehending taxi drivers when I didn't speak another word of Arabic :-)

That sounds like a really good trip, Jason - great first run round the northern itinerary! I see you were more into the newer wrecks than the Carnatic - I'm the opposite (I *loved* the Carnatic) but I can see where you're coming from.

Sorry to hear Emma wasn't doing so well with the rougher seas - can more than sympathise there. Hopefully she picked up as the week went on? Wednesday and Thursday sound great - Kingston, Thistlegorm night dive, Dunraven, and Small Crack - fantastic. Hope the Thistlegorm was up to expectations! Which dive did you do at Small Crack? The bit outside the reef, or 'through the crack' with the current and into the inner reef?

I'm glad my hunch for the turtle location was right - did you make it round to the back-reef at Yolanda?

Sounds like a grand trip, thanks for the notes :-)

Tim

**jb2cool** · November 20th, 2006, 08:06 AM

Emma did pick up as the week went on. As soon as we got to Gubal island she was well on the mend. Thistlegorm was up to expectations. We has such a negative view of it anyway with stories of it being swamped in divers and pretty much barren of life it was a nice surprise to find it better than that.

On small crack we did a slow drift on the outsife of the reen and then through the crack tio the lagoon inside where our #rib boys would be waiting for us.

We did make it round to the back reef on Shark reef but not on Yolanda. We started the dive on Yolanda and round the front of that before heading on through the saddle and onto the back reef of Shark. We did initially want t ogo round the back of both but Emma had a problem with her ears on the way down so the current had a chance to pull us rund to the front a bit.

**jb2cool** · November 20th, 2006, 10:37 AM

Added some more pictures and video's are up now. Quality is a bit naff as i had to compress them quite a lot.

JB2Cool - Videos

November 19th, 2006, 03:44 PM	#1 (permalink)
jb2cool(Offline) Padawan learner Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Bracknell, Berkshire Posts: 797	Just got back from Red Sea livaboard and thought i'd share these. Ok, it's not remotely DIR but i thought since it was in the General section it'd be ok. Click on them for a bigger image. __________________ http://jb2cool.bulldoghome.com Last edited by jb2cool; November 20th, 2006 at 10:43 AM.

November 19th, 2006, 10:43 PM	#5 (permalink)
jb2cool(Offline) Padawan learner Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Bracknell, Berkshire Posts: 797	I've just been flamed in the past for posting things that some are not so interested in. Ok, here are the details ~(I'll keep it fairly brief though as i'm tired). Flew into Sharm on Saturday the 11th and landed at about 4pm local time. We then got on a coatch that took us down to Travco marina where we met our boat (Bella 1). We were moored up there overnight waiting for another group coming from Manchester on a later flight. 6am Sunday morning we start moving. We are heading round the tip of Sinai to a small reef system called "The Alternatives" for a check dive. After "The Alternatives" we cross over the Gulf of Suez to Sha'Ab Abu Nuhas were we did "The Carnatic" and then a night dive on the reef itself. It was quite nice to be sheltered by the reef a bit as Emma wasn't feeling so hot after the rough crossing. Monday and still at Sha'Ab Abu Nuhas and the Giannis D. and the Chrisoula K. beckon. These were nice wrecks, a bit more intact than The Carnatic so a bit more my cup of tea. After lunch we cross over to Gubal island to dive the Barge in the afternoon and then again that night. Tuesday and the Rosalie Moller is calling. We chug round the top of Gubal island and moor up on the Rosalie and do two dives on that (Hardly any time on the wreck when you only have a single cylinder). Then it's back round to the Barge again for a little afternoon dive and another night dive. Wednesday and we are on the move again. This time we are heading souther to Big Gubal island to do a reef wall dive at a site called Malak. We were just hanging around reallyto let the wind drop for our crossing back over the gulf. Mid-morning and the wind dropped a little so back over the gulf we go and we are heading towards Shag Rock where we dive the Kingston/Sara H. After lunch we head on over to The Thistlegorm where we do an aftenoon dive and then a night dive. Thursday and only time for one more dive on the Thistlegorm before we have to leave. Then it's The Dunraven and after that a shallow reef dive calle Small Crack where we have our afternoon and night dive. Friday and it's the last day diving. Yolanda and Shark reef first (This is where we found the turtle) and then a second dive on Ras Ghazlani before heading back to Travco marina to get transfered to our hotel and 24 hours to off-gas before our flight. Saturday and we just lie by the pool waiting it out and then all too soon it's off to the airport for us. __________________ http://jb2cool.bulldoghome.com

November 20th, 2006, 08:06 AM	#7 (permalink)
jb2cool(Offline) Padawan learner Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Bracknell, Berkshire Posts: 797	Emma did pick up as the week went on. As soon as we got to Gubal island she was well on the mend. Thistlegorm was up to expectations. We has such a negative view of it anyway with stories of it being swamped in divers and pretty much barren of life it was a nice surprise to find it better than that. On small crack we did a slow drift on the outsife of the reen and then through the crack tio the lagoon inside where our #rib boys would be waiting for us. We did make it round to the back reef on Shark reef but not on Yolanda. We started the dive on Yolanda and round the front of that before heading on through the saddle and onto the back reef of Shark. We did initially want t ogo round the back of both but Emma had a problem with her ears on the way down so the current had a chance to pull us rund to the front a bit. __________________ http://jb2cool.bulldoghome.com

November 20th, 2006, 10:37 AM	#8 (permalink)
jb2cool(Offline) Padawan learner Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Bracknell, Berkshire Posts: 797	Added some more pictures and video's are up now. Quality is a bit naff as i had to compress them quite a lot. JB2Cool - Videos __________________ http://jb2cool.bulldoghome.com Last edited by jb2cool; November 20th, 2006 at 01:10 PM.

November 19th, 2006, 04:40 PM	#2 (permalink)
LCF(Offline) New Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Seattle Posts: 623	What's not DIR about enjoying looking at fish? I didn't see anything in JJ's book that said that the only legitimate diving is on wrecks . . . Great pictures. They make me want to go someplace warmer!

November 19th, 2006, 04:55 PM	#3 (permalink)
tim(Offline) Big Grin Syndrome Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Oxford Posts: 455	You found a turtle! Fantastic - I know that was on your list of things you were hoping to see :-) So, tell us more! Which sites did you dive? How was the diving? Details, details! Having had a long chat with the two of you about this at the drinks in London a couple of weeks back I'm fascinated to hear how it all went. Tim

November 19th, 2006, 08:01 PM	#4 (permalink)
David Martin(Offline) Instructor candidate Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: London, E11 Posts: 419	What do you mean its not DIR? [I'm presuming that you didn't take the pictures solo on an inspiration...] You can dive DIR on reefs and scenic dives just as you can on wrecks and in caves. The situational awareness and team awareness are as important and useful over delicate environments just as they are over silty ones. People initially assumed that DIR was just about cave/technical...and there's still a perception that its cave/wreck/technical...but it's really for everyone who wants to make their diving better and more enjoyable so that they can see more of what they want to see be it the end of the line in Wakulla, a wreck in the channel or some pretty fish and coral in the tropics. If we all liked the same thing there would be a couple of very crowded sites and a huge amount of the ocean with no-one in it. David

November 20th, 2006, 01:26 AM	#6 (permalink)
tim(Offline) Big Grin Syndrome Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Oxford Posts: 455	Quote: (Originally Posted by jb2cool) Travco marina Memories of saying this over and over again to uncomprehending taxi drivers when I didn't speak another word of Arabic :-) That sounds like a really good trip, Jason - great first run round the northern itinerary! I see you were more into the newer wrecks than the Carnatic - I'm the opposite (I loved the Carnatic) but I can see where you're coming from. Sorry to hear Emma wasn't doing so well with the rougher seas - can more than sympathise there. Hopefully she picked up as the week went on? Wednesday and Thursday sound great - Kingston, Thistlegorm night dive, Dunraven, and Small Crack - fantastic. Hope the Thistlegorm was up to expectations! Which dive did you do at Small Crack? The bit outside the reef, or 'through the crack' with the current and into the inner reef? I'm glad my hunch for the turtle location was right - did you make it round to the back-reef at Yolanda? Sounds like a grand trip, thanks for the notes :-) Tim