Sharm El Sheikh is well known for its wonderful dive sites, rich of Different coral types and many fish species, amazing Flora and Fauna, with water temperature ranging between 20°C in February 27°C from July to October, and an outstanding visibility ranging between 20-30 meters !!!
Far Garden is our house Reef in front of Reef Oasis Blue Bay Resort, it is situated in the northernmost part of a splendid bay just north of Naama Bay. Because of the many coral formations and their configuration, Far Garden is considered a veritable underwater hanging garden. It differs from the other localities in the bay, since there is a series of large coral pinnacles located between the ledge along the reef and the drop-off, which becomes gradually steeper in an eastward direction. The current, which generally runs eastwards, tends to get stronger closer to the headland. You will see gorgonian fans, lionfish, glassfish and frequently we see mantas and turtles.
The Temple is our house reef. It is located on the north side of Sharm El Sheikh Harbor. Formed of a group of three pinnacles that rise up from 20 metres below to the surface. This is a flat, sloping reef with two major, and a few minor, pinnacles adding contour to the reef face. The largest of the pinnacles is 'The Tower'. Its bulk is split by two major fissures, one of which can be swum through. The second should not be entered, to avoid damaging the delicate gorgonians growing along its sides. All the pinnacles hide a surprisingly rich variety of reef animals.The pinnacles are rather close to each other and have sand channels between them. The pinnacles have sheer walls which are covered with soft and hard corals, fan corals and reef fish. Coral growth throughout the site is good, with a density and mix of species difficult to match in the immediate area. They are a blanket of color. The fish are as pleasant a surprise as the coral, with a truly amazing range of species colonizing the reef. There are lionfish all about, as well as stonefish that do not move and are camouflaged. Around the pinnacles are schools of glass sweepers that move together.Because The Temple is so close to Sharm El Sheikh and Na'ama Bay, it is a very popular night-dive site. At night the basket stars create the illusion of a curtain in the light current as they feed. As the basket stars are hit by your dive light, they tend to withdraw into a ball. As the light moves away, they expand back out and continue feeding. The feather stars and soft corals have many colors that are very beautiful in the dive lights. You can find parrotfish in the crevices with your dive lights. Some may even have their cocoons around them.The typical depth range of the Temple is 5 to 20 meters deep and is accessed by our shore.
Situated at the southern entrance of the large bay Marsa Bareika, this dive combines a vertical wall, impressive chimneys and blue water. This is a good place to find large tuna, barracudas Jackfish and in summer, cruising grey reef sharks.
The name of this site derives from the white sandy road between the coral ledge bordering the coast and a parallel satellite reef that is often frequented by Jackfish and other predators. Jackfish Alley, which was originally known as Fisherman's Bank, is south of Ras Za'atar. You will have to make it as a drift dive, lookout for Gorgonians, stingrays, trevally, Glass fish, triggerfish and sometimes you might see a Whitetip reef shark.
This name indicates not only the first balcony on the top of the Ras Mohammed promontory, but also the diving site that is on a level with that promontory. This is a magnificent wall dive, also known as the Ras Mohammed Wall: while looking down into the deep blue, you can admire a grandiose environment and at the same time see large pelagic predators (even some Whale sharks have been seen in this area time and again). After descending for about 15 meters you can explore the wall on your left, which is rich in Alcyonarians, gullies, shelters and caves swarming with life, without losing sight of the blue, from which Jackfish, barracuda and some sharks might suddenly appear.
This is the northernmost reef in Tiran and is known for the wreck, partially demolished in 1996, of the Cypriot merchant ship Lara, which sank here in 1985. Diving here usually begins on the southern side, which is sheltered from the waves and wind and where there are a large metal buoy, a fixed mooriing - which is not far from the reef - and two other mooring points on the reef on water level: here the wall, cut through by some splits, descends steeply to the sandy floor (-45 meters). Going westwards (dive A), you will see some gorgonians and a splendid red anemone at a depth of 28 meters. This is followed by a plateau that is connected to Woodhouse Reef by a saddle. The south-western corner of Jackson Reef, where numerous fire corals (Millepora dichotoma) can be seen, is subject to the currents, which can be extremely violent. If conditions are right (especially when the tide is ebbing), it is possible to drift dive on the eastern part of the reef (dive B). Here, about 15 meters down, is a sandy ledge that sinks into the abyss to the north. It is quite easy to spot turtles (Eretmochelys sp.) and large pelagic fish in this zone. Among the latter are White-tip reef sharks (Triaenodon obesus), Grey reef sharks (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos) and Hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna lewini), which are especially numerous from July to September.
This reef is one of the most spectacular diving sites in the northern Red Sea for both recreational and Technical Divers. The lack of mooring points makes drift diving necessary: The southern corner of the reef is the classic starting point for your underwater itinerary, which continues along the eastern side where the wall, rich in multicoloured coral, descends to a sandy plateau that begins at a depth of about 25 meters and has a slight incline. Here you can see large Alcyonarians (Dendronephthya sp.), impressive gorgonians and colonies of black coral , Antipatharians with their characteristic spiral shape. At a depth of 35 meters a splendid and extremely deep canyon opens out, running parallel to the reef and crossed by a series of impressive arches. At the north-eastern corner of the reef you may come upon a very strong counter-current. If you can get past this point and conditions are favourable, you can go around the entire reef. This will allow you to explore the northern wall, which has some nice shelters and splits, and the western one, where you will see many crevices and caves, lovely gorgonians and a wealth of fauna consisting of sea turtles, reef fish .
The Canyon is one of the most popular dive sites in Dahab and an essential dive for all fanatics of caves and cavern diving. The Canyon is up to 10m deep and virtually closed over at the top. It snakes its way up from the depths, to emerge in a large glassfish-filled coral dome, the Fishbowl. After the shore entry, you cross a sandy lagoon that opens onto a gently sloping reef marked with coral heads. The amazing canyon soon comes into view. It has three main openings. At about 12m is the fishbowl. Below that is another large bowl, opening at about 20m. Deepest of all is a narrow exit at 52-54m. In between these openings the walls have grown together to virtually close over the top of the canyon, forming a tunnel. From the top it has the appearance of the fluted mouth of a clam shell. Note the light coming through the crack that forms the entry of the Canyon while you sit in semi-darkness, it is an amazing sight! Technical Divers can follow the Canyon all the way through to the exit where it spits you out at 54m, then continue dropping down to 'Neptune's Chair' - looks like a giant throne made of rock at 73m. Behind this there is a cave, it goes back around 15-20m, with a max depth of 75m. Take a torch! It's a dead end so no need to lay line or anything.
The entry point “Bells” is a small crack in the reef-table that continues under water like a chimney down to 28 m and can be exited at any depth. There are corals to the left and right and nothing but blue in front of you. You will turn to the right as soon as you reach your maximum depth and then dive along a fantastic wall with loads of coral overhangs surrounded by the full variety of Red Sea fish, The dive will take you gradually shallower until you reach the beautiful coral saddle into the Blue Hole at about 7 m. As for Technical Divers The Blue Hole itself is literally a hole in the reef that is around 56 meters wide and its max depth is from 90 to 120 meters. The most important feature of the Blue Hole is the archway, which is located at 56 meters and exits into the bottomless open sea. Here's what you should take into consideration: first of all, you have to correctly locate the arch. The arch is not directly below the saddle. It is on the eastern side of the site not the southern one. You should drop down at the correct place because the reef curves around and you may not be able to see the arch. Searching for the arch at depth is not a brilliant idea. One way to locate the arch is to drop down to 30 meters at the western side of the Blue Hole where you'll find a sandy gully. Following this sandy gully will finally lead you to the arch. A blue glow becomes visible at 52 meters. This is not the proper depth to cross the arch at. You have to descend another 4 - 5 meters to seamlessly cross the arch because the roof is actually located at 55 meters. The arch itself is 26 meter long, 25 meter wide hole, its advised to have a torch with you. Note that occasionally there are strong downward currents that could be experienced at the exit of the arch. Make an “if – then” scenario and follow it.