Diving in Sharm el-Sheikh is the favorite pastime of ordinary beach tourists and the dream of divers from all over the world. It is possible to dive here almost everywhere, and just like snorkeling to enjoy exactly everywhere. However, it is better to do this early in the morning: closer to dinner, each site collects a lot of boats and the number of divers almost exceeds the number of fish.
There are a lot of dive sites in the resort, in addition, there are whole "dive regions": the Tiran Strait (between the coast and the island of Tiran) and the Ras Mohammed Reserve.
Reserve Ras Mohammed
Ras Mohammed - the first marine national park in Egypt - was founded in 1989. It is easy to get to the reserve by taxi, a rented car or during a group excursion, since Ras Mohammed is located only 25 km south-west of Sharm.
In addition to numerous geological features, such as coral reefs that have risen above sea level, dried up river beds, mountains of petrified sand and soft sand dunes, the national park boasts an impressive underwater life and an equally impressive concentration of those who want to see it. The standard day in Ras Mohammed is an immersion on Anemone City, then on Jackfish Alley; although there is, of course, plenty of options.
- Ras Ghozlani - the closest to Sharma dive site, is on the same line with the eastern cape of the bay and is notable for the abundance of fish and impressive corals. Here you can see gorgonariy, table corals, anemones, groupers and antiasy
- Ras Za'Atir goes to a depth of 50 m, closer to the surface - caves, large corals, gorgonians, groupers, turtles and clownfish with anemones. In the coral grounds quite a few fairly large tunnels and clefts
- Jackfish Alley - one of the most popular sites in the reserve .To understand that the boat arrived at the dive site very easily - on the cliff opposite is drawn a "white label" .Under the water, already at 6 m, the wall begins, ending with a sandy meadow .This dive site is notable for several small cave formations, one of which is at a depth of 9-11 m .Under the wall - a sandy meadow, a coral plateau, and behind it - "corridor" - the same alley Jackfish, which is a white sandy plateau, bounded on both sides by reefs .The
- The garden of eels (Eel Garden) is located south of Jackfish Alley and is considered a relatively light dive site. Swim through the sandy plateau, you can see a small cave with a colony of eels (reaching 80 cm in length).
- Shark Observatory is located on the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula, just behind the "Garden of Blackheads". Divers here will see the wall with a multitude of ledges and canyons, covered with soft corals and gorgonians, which descends down to 90 m. The name is also not accidental: you can find sharks, barracudas and other marine predators in the Shark Observatory.
- Anemon City unites several sites: Shark, Yolanda Reef (or Jolanda) and Anemon City itself and is considered the most popular dive site in Ras Mohammed .Begin, as a rule, with Anemon City, to enjoy the view of a huge garden of anemones at a depth of 14 m .Then, moving forward, you can get to the reef Shark Reef, which is famous for its strong current and large groupers, tunas, sharks and barracudas .Swim this site in a few minutes you can get to the Yolanda Reef, the surface of which is literally strewn with soft corals of various shapes and colors .Here you can see Napoleons, turtles and (attention!) Toilet bowls .This is not a new kind of fish, and most that neither is plumbing .In 1981, a ship carrying Yolanda plumbing (from where the name of the reef came) was sunk here .The ship rests at a depth of 90 m, but the containers and some debris remained at a depth of 16-20 m .The
- The Mushroom is a large coral pillar rising from the depth and reaching 15 m in diameter.
- Station Stingray Station (Stingray Station) - from April to May at a depth of 10-30 m here you can see a lot of stingrays.
- A small break (Small Crack) is a terrific dive site where a small but very picturesque and full marine life channel passes through the sand at a depth of 15-20 m. According to eyewitnesses, there is an unforgettable night diving.
- The Bay of Marsa Bareka (Marsa Bareka) - a place quite unusual. Here ships are moored with divers, who rest and eat during a break between dives, here is also arranged the so-called acquaintance dive. Fortunately, all conditions for this are - a wall that extends to 40-45 m, with a sandy bottom, coral "heads", canyons, cracks and depressions. You can meet Napoleon, blue-spotted stingrays and even barracuda.
- The Ras Atar reef is located on the edge of the Gulf of Marsa-Barek and goes down to a depth of 45 m. Here you can find gorgonians and many fish.
Rack "Thistlegorm"
Flooded by German aviation in 1941, the English cargo ship Thistlegorm lies at a depth of 14-30 meters. The remains of the ship are located in the southern part of the Shaab Ali reef, in the Suez Strait. Discovered them, by the way, none other than Jacques Yves Cousteau with his team in 1956.
This military ship can tell about the British industry of the 1940s no worse than a museum. There are still jeeps, motorcycles, ammunition and even locomotive - in a word, the whole cargo. However, only experienced divers can see this, as diving conditions here require confident skills.
Rack Dunraven
The wrecks of the Dunraven ship, which sank in 1876 while traveling from Bombay to New Castle (England), are on the western edge of the maritime part of Ras Mohammed Park. The ship is located at a depth of 18-28 m, next to the coral reef. Divers of almost any level of training can dive here.
Tiran Island
Where the Gulf of Aqaba comes to an end and the Red Sea begins, there is a strait and the eponymous island of Tiran - a place for stunning diving and snorkeling. Here you can see mantas, sharks, turtles and barracudas, as well as smaller but less bright underwater living creatures. However, in the first place this place is intended for fanatics immersing in the racks.
- Kormoran (or Zingara) - a small German boat built in 1963 and now lying at a depth of 15 m 80 m long and 12 m wide is still clearly visible in the water: you can even see the name of the boat, only the last letters A and N absorbed corals. On Kormoran you can make great photos, see groupers, turtles, sharks and reef fish. In addition, this site is also good because it is not so popular, which means that the people here are less than on other sites of the Tiran Strait.
- Lagoon (Big and Small) is famous for an unreal amount of anemones and clownfish. Dives on this dive site, as a rule, take the form of drift diving - from south to north.
- Jackson Reef (Jackson Reef) is very popular, and therefore a crowded site. At a depth of 15-20 m there is a large plateau, you can meet sharks and large fish.
- The Woodhouse Reef is the longest site in the Tiran Channel, famous for its drift diving.
- The Reef of Thomas (Thomas Reef) is famous for its amazing variety of underwater life, despite its small size. In the south of the reef there are several picturesque walls and a plateau at a depth of 25 m. In addition, there lies an amazing canyon, which starts at a depth of 35 m and has three arches: at depths of 44, 51 and 61 m.
- Gordon Reef: the depth is 15-30 m. This is the southernmost (and therefore closest to Charma) site in the Strait of Tiran. At a depth of 24 m there is a "bowl with sharks" - a small amphitheater, beloved by these large predators. Nearby, at a depth of ~ 10 m are the remains of the ship Loullia, which sank in 1981.
Dive sites along Sharma coast
From North to South:
- Ras Ghamila
- Two sites in the Bay of Ras Nasrani - "Light" with a depth of 40 m and a strong current and "Point" with a depth of 20-25 m and large coral reefs. The bay is 5 km from Sharm el-Sheikh airport.
- White Knights
- Shark Bay (Shark Bay) - a small canyon with a coral wall.
- Gardens:
- Far Garden: 5-meter wall with caves at a depth of 5-12 m. At a depth of 40 m - large corals, a variety of fish.
- The Middle Garden is in front of the Hyatt Regency Hotel
- Near Garden: a gentle slope (25-30 m), corals, fish.
- Sodfa
- Pinky's Wall
- Amphora (Amphoras): a small wall, a sandy bottom, a depth of 25 m. The remains of a Turkish ship, amphorae with mercury were transported on board (so the site is also often called the "Mercury Place"). Diving here is not satisfied with so many operators, as finding a site is problematic.
- Turtle Bay
- Paradise
- Ras Umm Sid (Ras Umm Sid): the slope is moderate, at a depth of 25 m - large corals - gongonari. Barracudas, rays, sometimes sharks.
- Temple: three small pointed towers rise to the surface of the water from the bottom (depth 20 m). This is the most popular dive site for beginners - there is calm water, good visibility and a small depth.
- Ras Katy
| All articles on «Diving» |
|