Straits of Tiran

GORDON REEF

Gordon Reef is the southernmost reef of the four reefs in the Straits of Tiran.

The reef is about 900 meters long.

This site has both a shallow plateau area and drop offs, and can be done as a mooring or a drift dive. On the northern edge of the reef is the remains of the wreck Lovilla which has been on top of the reef for a long time. It only remains there by habit as most of the hull has corroded away (everybody is waiting for it to go down so we can dive the wreck). The current on the south edge of Gordon is rarely strong but be aware for it as it can cut across the plateau. The boats moor up on the southern plateau in about 8m of water. The dives are usually conducted heading in a easterly direction to the drop off which starts at about 16m (worth keeping an eye out into the blue here!).

THOMAS REEF

This is the smallest reef in the Straits, but also one of the most spectacular diving sites in the northern Red Sea.and 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 multicolored coral, descends to a sandy plateau that begins at a depth of about 25 meters and has a slight incline.

Here on the wall, you can see large impressive gorgonians and whip corals. passing a double line of gorgonians, at 35 meters a splendid and extremely deep canyon opens out, running parallel to the reef and crossed by three impressive arches.

At the eastern corner of the reef, you may come upon a very strong counter-current. If you can get past this point and conditions are favorable, 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, and a wealth of fauna.

WOODHOUSE REEF

This is the longest reef of the four in the Straits of Tiran and is dived as a drift dive usually from South to North. The reef top is about 1.2 kilometers long.

Diving is mainly on the east side because there is a plateau and drop off If we look into the open water we have the chance to spot hammerheads, grey reef sharks, whitetip reef sharks, leopard sharks or eagle rays.

JACKSON REEF

Jackson Reef is the most northern reef in the Strait of Tiran. On the northern edge of the reef, the wreck of a grounded freighter stands as a warning to shipping in the buy straits. Most of its hull has been salvaged for scrap, leaving only a skeletal hulk. A fixed mooring exits at the southern end of the reef.

The steep-sided walls of Jackson Reef are among the finest in the Sinai region. The current-swept reef is densely grown with a real profusion of hard and soft corals, with special accents provided by luxuriant gorgonian fans, sea whips and black corals, and vivid growths of soft coral.

After sloping down, there is a plateau at about 30 to 60 feet and then the drop-off continues down to 225 feet. There are strong currents that carry divers around the northeast end of the reef. There is a sandy bay that is shallow on the north side. There are many reef fish as well as open ocean fish that you may see if you look around into the blue waters around the reef.

Fish life, not surprisingly, is excellent. The strong current brings plenty of nutrients for reef and schooling fish. Current and profile combine to tempt pelagic fish in from the open water, and large schools of barracuda and jacks are common here, as are larger predators including several species of shark. The smaller reef species on which these pelagic visitors feed are profuse.