STRAITS OF TIRAN Diving Sites
CORAL GARDENS drops to a 40 foot sand bottom with large coral clumps, one of which reaches the surface. The remains of an ancient fishing boat, about 500 years old, are embedded in the sand. Small bits of pottery and a wooden keel, heavily overgrown, can still be seen. Crocodile fish, blue spotted stingrays and morays live among the outcrops, while eagle rays, turtles and Napoleons often swim by. This area is protected from currents, and is also a good site for night diving.
THE PINNACLES lie between Tiran and Sinafir Islands, a stem Consisting of seven coral heads rising from a flat, grassy sea bed in 35 feet of water. The four primary pinnacles form a circle about 50 meters across; a series of satellites head off toward Tiran Island. Often the site of strong currents, the rich soft Coral growth is the result of abundant plankton in the water column. That reduces visibility somewhat in the summer months; the best time to dive this area is October through April. This is an outstanding area for photographing fish and observing their behavior. You will find large schools of one species that have staked out an area on a reef. So as you swim around a pinnacle you might first encounter a school of bannerfish, then emperorfish, then sweetlips, and perhaps finish in a small crevice filled with lionfish or silver sweepers.
The Pinnacles is one of the few places to catch a glimpse of the rare Red Sea dugong (a close relative of the manatee) swimming in the sea grass. Look there for sea horses as well. Don't forget to cruise the sand for crocodile fish, blue-spotted stingrays, and nurse sharks. Turtles and large moray eels are also seen regularly, as are eagle rays and large schools of barracuda. It's a good night diving spot for advanced divers, but difficult when strong winds blow from the north.
Four large coral reefs stand between the islands and the Sinai coast, lined up north to south. They comprise the STRAITS OF TIRAN, a navigable passage only about 800 meters wide yet 760 meters deep.
The northernmost site, JACKSON REEF, is marked by a large freighter which has run aground on its northern end. Dive guides rate the corals and reef fish at the southern end of Jackson second only to Ras Mohammed in the Sinai area. It is like a circus of fish, all competing for your attention; you hardly know where to turn next. Shallow water photographic opportunities are outstanding, especially over the vast field of fire coral trees on top of the reef. Dense schools of goldfish flit around the coral heads, while scorpionfish can be found in crevices. In the sandy patches look for small blacktip groupers, about a foot long. These docile, curious fish will swim right up to a reclining diver, staring into his mask. Sergeant majors, angels, butterflyfish, parrotfish, and triggerfish will vie for your attention as well, while schools of jacks darken the water overhead. The soft corals are outstanding, among the richest in Sinai.
The southern wall, which slopes to 200 feet, is the site of several large black coral trees. You don't have to go that deep to see sharks. The meeting of the currents between Jackson and Woodhouse reefs is called the SHARK LOOKOUT. There is a line attached to the reef at 80 feet, which you can hang onto in the current while observing the open water for sharks. White and blacktips, hammerheads and leopard sharks might be encountered. Strong currents often accompany tidal changes funneling through the straits. When they are present this is an advanced dive. Jackson Reef is usually dived in the morning, when the north wind keeps the moored boat clear of the reef. more>>>
WOODHOUSE, a long, narrow reef, is seldom dive. When it is, it is done as a drift dive because there is no anchorage. The eastern side is a steep dropoff to about 130 feet, then sloping gradually into sand. Because this side is protected from currents, there are fewer soft corals. Large gray tube sponges project from the wall. Fish life consists mostly of reef fish, although eagle rays, sharks, and turtles sometimes cruise along the wall. At 120 feet is a small satellite reef, separated from the main one by a narrow canyon. Several holes continue downward through the canyon floor. At the ends of the reef strong currents can be encountered, bringing food to the large sea fans found there. Weather permitting, the outside is the better area, with a large overhang, large black coral trees, and several caves.
Like Woodhouse, THOMAS REEF is an advanced dive because there is no place to hide from the currents. It is also a drift dive, and can be done only when there are no strong winds.
GORDON REEF,
a big flat formation, is usually done as an afternoon
dive because of its shallow area. The reef top is protected
from currents, so topography is dominated by small outcrops
and table corals. Look for small gray morays in crevices.
Occasional sharks may swim through the area. Cargo from
a 1950s shipwreck is scattered about the reef. On the
east side, the maximum depth is 65 feet at the edge of
the dropoff, while the southern end slopes gently to only
30 feet some 50 yards from the reef. The east side offers
better scenery.
This is a good night dive when there is no wind.
