Anyone in Jeddah?

[JustinF]

Anyone happen to be freediving or scuba in or around Jeddah?

[Erik]

1 member called Amphibious here spends a fair bit of time around there I believe, usually teaching SCUBA in summer.
Erik Y.

[JustinF]

Very cool. I recently moved here from BC Canada, so I don't know any locals into freediving, and the local I have met know nothing about it. But I refuse to give up!

Thank you!

[Erik]

Small world! Amphibious is from PG in BC!
I think he's up near Alaska for a week, hunting Halibut.
Erik Y.

[Amphibious]

there are no local freedivers in Jeddah. I was there last July for a 10day liveaboard and the operators watching me freedive thought it was the second comming, alought their boat had a big OMER sticker on it.........

Jeddah offers some great freediving and spearfishing, Yambu is far better though.

lots of wrecks and deeper walls to dive, and the with viz aproching 120ft on some days, it's hard to ask for anything more. if you're used to BC waters PLEASE BUY A DEPTH GAUGE. it's very easy to find your self far deeper then you want to be in those crystal clear waters

Also expect to see some "interesting" Darwin-was-wrong diving practices

"good Luck" is my best advice for a rookie in Arabia.

Also, drive the biggest vehicle you can aford, and stay well clear of the local girls

[JustinF]

I'm actually not in Jeddah, I'm in North Obhur. I'm right on the beach, we have a private reef here so it's actually very pristine.

I have a D3, I know wha you mean about the water. In the summer at 100+ft in BC it would be cold and black. Here at 130 it's perfectly bright!

Diving practices, I know what you mean. I have never seen such bad trim and streamlining in my life. I ay be Jaded as a technical diver trained by an excellent instructor through ANDI, but man it's bad.

My company has provided me a Suburban, driving here is very, um exciting!

I love it here, I am in no way, shape or form missing BC! The tropics rule!

I should add I am not living in a typical area, check out the My home gallery in my spaces, you will see what I mean!

http://spaces.msn.com/jkfournier/photos/

[Amphibious]

Nice Villa, you lucked out!

if you're into tech, get your own O2/He Analyzers too. nothing in KSA is consistant

have you checked out the "Cable Wreck" yet? nice deep freediving there, light current, and some of the biggest tuna I have ever seen. the odd Tiger too, so keep eyes peeled. Couple other nice wrecks a short steam out of Jeddah. Viz is dependant on location, some good, some crap. if you can spare time in the winter check out the Farasan Banks for some world class diving.

Shoot me a PM if you ever get over to the East Side, Have some good Canadian Buddies in Ras Tanura that can show you around. don't bring your dive gear, everything on that side sucks compared to where you are

[JustinF]

The villa is great I will admit.

I plan to get my own stuff, your right about the gear here, it's all crap. I have had to bring everything myself or order it from The Deeperblue shop. Couple thousand euros there in the past couple months.

I'm going on a boat trip. Going to try and find a good one to get me around to some local spots. I have only done out my back yard so far. It's not great viz maybe 50ft, but it sure beats BC.

So far I have been to Jizan and Riyadh. I heard much about the Farasan Banks. Yanbu as well.

Thanks for your time!

[ash7007]

hi my friend,
i have been diving here in JEDDAH since 2000. It s a nice place for scuba diving, as well as spearfishing. there are so many wrecks, and great coral walls.Cable and AnnAnn wrecks are great. do not get your gear koz you can get it by rent here. There are many diving centers. i recommend the new red Sea Divers Center in Tahlia St., for you. There is acomptent diving instructor there called Hossam in that center, will provide you with all what you need. Email me for any thing. ash7007@gmail.com
Dr. Ashraf Yassin
Advanced Diver

[JustinF]

Thank you for the reply, can you reccomend any good boats in the area?

[ash7007]

hi again, my friend
if you will be in Jeddah, i recommend Dream-1 as well as Dream-2 boats. Thet are from Alahlam Marina, noth Abhur in jeddah. They go out with more than 2 diving intructors(2 at least) with tanks enough for 3 dives, including soft drinks, fruits, and snacks. They record their own special spots on the GPS, which make them unique in their diving trips. By the way they use fish finder too. They are masters in spearfishing if you are interested. If you were unlucky catching any, do not worry they will give you.

[JustinF]

Shokuran Habibi!

I will try and get in touch with them.

[scarab]

Hi Justin,

I've been diving in Jeddah for the last few years. We mostly shore dive in North Obhur but we visit South Obhur from time to time. I'd love to join you if ever you need a buddy.

Dennis

[hatim]

justin,

It is so strange that you didnt find what your looking for specialy here in jeddah....the hotels and most of the diving centers can arrange for a very nice boat trip to alot of diving sites. if you still couldnt make it, just let me know and i will try my best to fix a dive to remember...