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Dive Review of MV Sea Sound in
Red Sea/Hurghada

MV Sea Sound, Jun, 2010,

by Tammy Hauk, MO, US ( 2 reports). Report 5710.

No photos available at this time

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Accommodations 4 stars Food 4 stars
Service and Attitude 3 stars Environmental Sensitivity N/A
Dive Operation 5 stars Shore Diving N/A
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ 4 stars
Beginners 2 stars
Advanced 5 stars
Comments The MV Sea Sound was being considered for purchase, and we were the first group aboard after refitting. We boarded in Hurghada and took up the entire boat. Beautiful boat, very stable in the water compared to larger boats. The Egyptian crew were helpful, sometimes overly so. The two european DM's were not. We had been warned by our group leader that the DM's would most likely only lead us out & get us back to the boat, and she was right. Very seldom did one of them elect to point anything out underwater. The most interaction underwater with a DM was when she took my white, round tank number medallion off my tank & tried to coax a Napoleon Wrasse closer. We had paid for 4 dives per day, but during our first briefing the DM's appeared shocked at that, and tried to convince us that they could only do 3 per day safely. We prevailed, but they made us get up very early each day to "squeeze it all in". Though we were all diving Nitrox, we were forced to have 2.5 hour surface intervals. It was quite different from any other liveaboard operation I have seen. That said, the diving was spectacular, the reefs were healthy, and the critters were beautiful & plentiful. We had very strong current around the Two Brothers, but no sharks or rays. The crossing to Elphinstone overnight was in 7 foot seas, but the boat handles rough water beautifully. Once we headed further south, the seas calmed quite a bit and the current was much lighter & the vis improved drastically. The chef produced a tasty variety of food, and even made two different cakes to help us celebrate two birthdays. Beer & wine were not free, but they had an 'honor system' where you put a mark by your name for every drink you helped yourself to. We had to ask where the beer was kept, so we could re-stock the fridge ourselves to keep cold ones available. We had a great week of diving on a beautiful boat, but I don't know if I'll repeat the trip.

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience 251-500 dives
Where else diving Turks & Caicos, Fiji, Belize, Bonaire, Roatan, St. Croix, Cozumel, Florida Keys
Closest Airport Getting There

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny Seas choppy, surge, currents
Water Temp 79-81°F / 26-27°C Wetsuit Thickness 3
Water Visibility 40-100 Ft/ 12-30 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile yes
Enforced diving restrictions Must have a minimum of 50 dives logged, no night diving offered at all, 60 minute time limit per dive, dive your own profile
Liveaboard? yes Nitrox Available? yes

What I Saw

Sharks None Mantas None
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles > 2 Whales None
Corals 5 stars Tropical Fish 5 stars
Small Critters 4 stars Large Fish 5 stars
Large Pelagics N/A

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Subject Matter 3 stars Boat Facilities 4 stars
Overall rating for UWP's 3 stars Shore Facilities N/A
UW Photo Comments No large table (small cubbyholes), rinse tank not adequate for multiple large rigs. Picked up by zodiacs, cameras were at risk.
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Note: The information here was reported by the author above, but has NOT been reviewed nor edited by Undercurrent prior to posting on our website. Please report any major problems by writing to us and referencing the report number above.

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