| Diving in Oman | Dive Sites |
The diving available in Oman provides adventure and enjoyment with dramatic wall drop-offs to scenic coral lined fjords, ranging in depth from six meters to forty meters. Please do not just go diving every day, keep two days to see some more of Oman. The diving is easy diving with good intact corals, a good range of fish. last week a sperm whale was seen off Fahal island. You have a 70% chance of seeing dolphins on the way to the dive sites but 95% chance if you take half day for dolphin/ whale watching.
The dives start around 9 am with a 2 tank dive. then back to the dive center for about 2pm, just right for lunch and relax. You can have a 3rd dive, we would need minimum 4 people to go out again.
There is tea and coffee on the boat and loads of water to drink. Good idea is to grab some fruit from the hotel at breakfast for the surface interval or go buy some stuff from a shop to keep the munchees at bay.
* How great is the effect of tides and currents?
We do not have big ripping currents, in one or two dive sites you might have a current, these we use as drift dives, but nothing hard.
* What in-water support can you give to a group of less experienced divers?
Guided dives are offered to people if they wish, We tend to find that if a boat is of a mixed standard the experienced divers like to dive alone in buddy pairs.
* What diving is available to more experienced divers?
There are dives at 30m and dives you will need to have done a good number of dives, so we feel safe.
* Is the diving all reef or are there wrecks too?
Mostly Reef with a few wrecks thrown in. Some big boulder type sites. New Wreck sunk in 2003, 86mtrs long, 14mts to 26mtr depth
* Can diving for both experienced and inexperienced divers be achieved in the
same day's dive plan or is the diving planned for the least capable diver?
All divers experienced or inexperienced will be able to enjoy the same dive sites. If you are looking just to dive deep because you are experience then No. Not much to see at the dive sites at 30mt anyway.
* Is the limit of 30m restricted by the dive site or by ruling?
Most dives by the site.
* Are there wall dives in deeper water?
Yes one. but we will need 8 people to do this trip. None advanced divers will be limited to 18mt. Might be better having a guide for them on that.
* Do you allow buddy pair diving or do you lead a group?
The dive sites are 99% safe so Buddy pair diving is allowed. Guide leading is not asked for allot as diver like to do there own thing.
* What role does the operation take in ensuring the safe diving of a group?
Do not forget your log book and cards, this means no diving. Your first dive will be for all to acclimatize. This dive is normally guided but depends on the experience. The dive briefing is done on the boat before the dive. Times and safety of the dive, the emergency call back to boat will be all explained before you dive. The boats carry Oxygen, first aid and cell-phones. If you have not dived for a long time then you will be asked to have a quick tune-up session in the pool or on the first dive which will then be also a dive.
* How do you accommodate the selfish requirements of photographers?
oooohhhhh NO NOT MORE. just finished with a French TV crew. You are pain in the neck when the boat is full of other divers. Joking apart, depends on the camera size on the boat, in the water you are on your own as a buddy pair. Camera people are welcome especially if they can contribute some good photo's for our collection and use.
* Is the diving from the shore or from a boat?
The boats are 10m long, with shade, 2 engines with 75 hp or 115 hp or 150hp. Max. 10 divers + crew on board.
* How far off-shore do you go?
Most of dives are round the edge of the cliffs, one island is about 1km. If your group is 8 or more we can organize a special to a couple of dive sites which are about 5km off shore
* How far is the nearest recompression facility?
One hour by car
* Is Oxygen available for first aid treatment?
Yes
* What millimeter wet-suite should I bring?
Summer= 3mm, Winter= 5mm. See charts on travel info page.
Oman has good sea conditions with an average visibility of approx. Twelve meters, and its international reputation for diving is growing tremendously. It is now seen as one of the best undiscovered marine sanctuaries open to diving tourists.
The sea-life is abundant no matter which site you choose with a variety of hard and soft corals present and shoals of fish everywhere. Rays, turtles and dolphins are also common and, occasionally whale sharks are seen in Oman's coastal water.
Visibility
Visibility can change from day to day and site to site, there is no fixed guarantee we can give. We would say the average is 10/12 m. Good days it will be 20+ m and bad days 5 m. The visibility is better in summer but then you run into problems with algal blooms some times. We are probably a bit hard on this point and we do not want you to think your diving will be bad. It's not. Due to the plankton and such suspended particulate in the water we have some big fish feeding. Divers always say the fish species they see are bigger here than on other places.
The big No-Nos
No touching anything. No gloves. People with cameras, please watch your feet and no jamming spikes into coral. No spear guns.