The Straits of Tiran lie at the mouth of the gulf of Aqaba and are bordered on the west by the coast of Sinai and on the east by the island of Tiran. In the middle of this channel are four reefs lying in a northeast-southwest direction that were named after the 19th century English cartographers who drew the first nautical map of this region: JACKSON REEF, WOODHOUSE REEF, THOMAS REEF and GORDON REEF. These reefs divide the straits into two canals, to the east is the so-called GRAFTON PASSAGE, which is used exclusively by ships going northwards, while to the west is the ENTERPRISE PASSAGE for ships heading south. The strong currents that characterize the Straits of Tiran transport great quantities of plankton and other nutrient material every day, thus supplying a great deal of food to the corals and hence to the reef fish which in turn are eaten by the large pelagic predators such as barracuda, jackfish, tuna and above all sharks which are always in this zone. Consequently, scuba divers in the waters of Tiran are sure to see not only an infinite number of corals but also rich fauna, both reef and pelagic.

Woodhouse Reef is narrow and long done only as a drift dive. Its northern part is the attractive and it has a canyon starting at 30 meters. Lots to see there from red anemones, great potential for Sea Turtles, Jackfish and Eagle Rays. Strong currents exists at the northern end and poor weather conditions upon surfacing the dive. Also referred to as the 'washing machine' due to powerful whirling currents and strong winds.

Gordon Reef is easily identified by the wreck of the Panamanian cargo ship Loullia which crashed in 1981. Enjoy the various species of coral, small nudibranches hidden in the crevices and the soft corals, you can encounter as well White Tip Reef Sharks and Eagle rays. By the middle of the reef you will see some metal drums that homes Octopus and different types of eel such as Moray, Peppered and Gold edged morays. Divers need to be careful of strong current at the north and southern ends of this reef.

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 .