PADI Courses in Hurghada

January 16th, 2008

TurtleProbably one of the phrases most associated with Hurghada is Scuba Diving. This is because the city boasts of favorable climate, rich marine ecosystems and highly visible water all year round, factors that draw scuba diving enthusiasts and would-be divers in hordes. For those thinking of making a trip to this recently developed coastal city, it’s be good to know that there are several available PADI Diving Courses in Hurghada.
Those who have no prior diving experience and can only spend no more than two or three days in Hurghada have the option of taking the PADI Scuba Diver course. This is one course designed for those who wished to experience a trip underwater without having to go through lengthy training. Diving at this level requires the constant supervision of a certified divemaster or instructor. For those below 15 years of age, there is the PADI Junior Scuba Diver course.

For those wishing to go further, they have the option of taking the PADI Open Water Diver Course. This course usually last for 4-5 days and students get certified after completing it satisfactorily. This course comprises of classroom sessions, diving in confined waters, and several dive trips out in the sea. For those younger than 15 but are still interested in getting certified, there’s also the PADI Junior Open Water course.

After completing the PADI Open Water Diver Course, interested individuals can proceed to enroll on PADI Adventure Dive’s or the PADI Advanced Open Water Diver. These courses do not entail lengthy classroom discussions and go right to the fun part, actual diving. This course is designed to further enhance and hone the diving skills of participants. For two days, students of this course get to choose three specialties to try (in addition to the compulsory Underwater Navigation and Deep dives), depending on the ones offered by the selected dive center. And with numerous dive sites available in Hurghada and nearby areas, there is no shortage of destinations to visit.

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Next in line when it comes to PADI courses in Hurghada is the PADI Rescue Diver course, about 4-5 days. This specialized course offers training in recognizing potentially dangerous situations and teaches ways of preventing them. This course also provides knowledge on search and recovery techniques when underwater and on how to provide emergency care. There is also the PADI Junior Rescue Diver course.

The next level up would be the PADI Divemaster course, and is designed for those seriously thinking of turning this particular recreation into a career. Comprising of multiple modules, this course usually takes anywhere from 9 Day’s (PADI minimum required hours) up to 30 days to complete. Upon completion, a Divemaster can undertake training and supervise diving trips and expeditions. To be a certified Divemaster, students need to experience at least 20 open water dives before starting on the course, and need to complete 40 more by the end of the training, and must be 18 years of age at the beginning of the course.

Whatever diving specialty or experience a tourist may have, he or she can have the opportunity to further it with a variety of available PADI courses in Hurghada.

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Scuba Diving in Hurghada: Pleasures of the Deep

January 16th, 2008

Diving enthusiasts in Egypt and the rest of the world know that one of the more well-known water recreations in the country is Scuba Diving in Hurghada.Hurghada is a city located in the eastern part of Egypt, on the shores of Red Sea. What used to be a small fishing village saw phenomenal growth in the last decade, perhaps as a result of the quest of many dedicated scuba diving enthusiasts to find an alternative diving destination apart from Sharm El Sheikh.

Sharm El Sheikh is a city in the northern part of the Red Sea and used to be the sole haven of those wishing to go scuba diving. However, those who seek to enjoy this recreation in less crowded environment found Hurghada to be a perfect option.

Those planning on organizing a trip to go Scuba Diving in Hurghada will be please to know that the climate there is quite favorable all year round. However, the waters get a tad warmer from June to September, perfect for those who are not accustomed to colder months.Shift+R improves the quality of this image. Shift+A improves the quality of all images on this page.

Both Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh owe their developments and profits from widely diverse marine life supported by the Red Sea. This particular body of water has several animal and plant species unique only in its waters. This alone is such a big attraction to both professional and amateur scuba divers, local and foreign.

Thanks to marine conservation efforts (HEPCA, Hurghada Environmental Protection and Consvervation Agency) started early on, the population of corals in the area is thriving. First time divers would be particularly awed at the profusion of colors found in the numerous diving spots in Hurghada. Among the fishes common in the area are jacks, reef fishes, snappers, and barracudas. Lionfish is also one species abundant and this area is a good setting for those wishing to take underwater pictures of this elusive type of fish. Other interesting sights include turtles, huge moray eels, and blue spotted rays.

Divers can have the option of daytime or night diving. With a number of Scuba Diving shops in Hurghada, interested persons won’t have difficulty procuring equipments and guides, and lessons are available for first timers. Though most would opt to explore the clear yet shallow waters close to the shore, there are also some experienced divers who would prefer to avail themselves of boat dives to nearby Giftun Islands and Sha’ab Abu Nuhas, or to Salem Express. Another interesting option would be visiting the wreck sites of El Mina, Excalibur, and Colona IV.

Scuba Diving in Hurghada entails exploring reefs and walls of corals found in several sites like the Careless Reef, Small Giftun, Sha’ab El Fanadir, Sha’ab Sabina, and Gota Abu Ramada.

And after a particularly pleasurable yet tiring day spent mostly Scuba Diving in Hurghada, divers would be glad to know that modern yet comfortable amenities await them in the nearby shores. With the desert landscape as it backdrop, it’s no wonder that this increasingly popular Egyptian city is slowly making its mark in international tourism, particularly in the aspect of scuba diving.

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Scuba Diving in the Red Sea

January 13th, 2008

The Red Sea has contributed much to the countries bordering it. Apart from being a major trading route, the main source of household and industrial water, as well as being a source of livelihood for the average fisherman, this particular body of water is also a huge tourism asset. For years, dedicated divers have come from all parts of the world to experience for themselves what it’s like Scuba Diving in the Red Sea.

A tremendously wide array of marine life is supported by the Red Sea. Because of conservation efforts of bordering countries and the regulation of fishing activities, there are numerous coral reefs in this body of water that are home to countless numbers of fishes and other marine animals. There are more than a thousand species of fishes recorded in the area, and some of these species are found only in the Red Sea.

Vertical sea walls, caves, and underwater plateaus await dedicated divers who wish to go exploring. An added bonus is the water’s clear visibility the whole year through, as well as its very favorable weather conditions. Most visitors visit the area during spring or autumn, when the climate’s quite ideal for spending outdoors the whole day.

Because of the popularity of the area as a prime diving destination, there are a lot of dive centers that set up shops in the shores of the Red Sea. All of these centers offer either day dive trips or liveaboards, or both. There are several popular areas for Scuba Diving in the Red Sea such as those sites found in North Sinai, South Sinai, Sharm El Sheikh to Hurghada, South Egypt, Off Shore and Deep South, as well as diving sites associated with the coast of Sudan, Jordan, and Yemen.

Apart from the natural coral reefs found in the Red Sea, several ship wrecks have also provided artificial anchors for both soft and hard corals and have, over time, become coral reefs themselves. This wreck sites are also popular scuba diving destinations in the Red Sea, often becoming itineraries of day trips and liveaboard trips.

To protect the marine ecosystem and minimize human impact, all divers are cautioned against touching anything found underwater. This regulation, which should be diligently observed, is part of the greater effort to conserve this vast natural resource that has provided, and is continuing to provide, equally vast revenues to dive centers and various local governments in the area. In some areas, divers are not permitted to wear gloves, least they get tempted to reach out and touch a curious plant or coral when they’re underwater. The boats are also not permitted to throw down their anchors and drag them along the sea bed.

Visitors wishing to explore these natural treasures underwater should make the necessary preparations beforehand. For those trying this recreation for the first time, they should make the necessary arrangements with dive centers for training. The importance of selecting a suitable dive centers cannot be underestimated, as competent diving instructors and guides are the ones that ensure the safety and enjoyment of each scuba diver.

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