HURGHADA

 

 

 

Hurghada was designed for diving. Its myriad of small islands, reefs and ergs provide diving at all levels. Close to shore, ergs, such as Petra and Ishta, rise up from a shallow sandy bottom and make an ideal training ground for beginners. Further out, reefs, such as Small Giftun and North Abu Ramada offer exhilarating drift dives for more advanced divers, while on the steep walls of Umm Gamar or Shaabruhr they can seek their thrills.

Small wonder then that it attracts thousands of divers annually. However, this popularity does not come without a price. Nobody will deny that some reefs already show signs of pressure from over-diving. But now things are changing. HEPCA has taken the initiative not only by installing mooring buoys to help reduce anchor damage but also by providing education for boat skippers. The rest is up to you, the diver, to take responsibility for your own actions. Whatever level you dive at, you can make a difference simply by watching where you put your fins and by keeping your hands to yourself. With your help, Hurghada will still offer some superb diving for many years to come.

 

·       SHAAB EL ERG

·       SHAAB ABU NUGAR

·        UMM GAMMAR (Shaab Ruhr)

·        FANUS (torfa)

·       RAS DISHA

·        UMM DOM (Stoney beach)

·       GIFTUN DRIFT

·        ABU RAMADA ISLAND

·       EL MINA WRECK

·       CARELESS REEF

·       SHAAB SABINA

·       ERG SOMAYA

·       GOTA ABU RAMADA

·       EL ARUK

·       ABU HASHISH

·       BANANA REEF

·       BEN EL GEBEL

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SHAAB EL ERG

 

 

 

 

Large lagoon at Hurghadas northern most point, shallow dive on outer coral gardens and gathering point for manta rays in Spring. Renowned for sightings of resident dolphin community by divers.This place looks like a large horseshoe with many dive sites on all sides. The dives are shallow and the whole area is full of life, groupers, rays, unicorns... There is a possibility of seeing manta’s on the North point around February/March and a group of dolphins all year around in the lagoon.

 

Location - 90 minutes to 2 hours north of Hurghada depending on the weather and where you leave from. It is a vast horseshoe shaped reef with its open side facing south. At the centre of the horseshoe is a shallow lagoon dotted with ergs (hence the name). It is dived in a number of places: on the north point, on the east wall, or on the south west point (illustrated known as Gota Shaab el Erg. The latter is the most popular. A shallow channel separates a large erg from the main reef On the south and west sides is a wide sandy plateau and numerous towers and coral blocks.

 

Sea Conditions - It can be rough getting there, but on arrival, you couldn’t find a better anchorage. Current on the Gota is mostly weak.

 

Dive Plan - Forget the main reef, there is easily an hour’s good diving on the Gota and its surrounding towers and pinnacles alone. Four very photogenic blocks lie in 16m water to the south (they are cut off from the illustration).

 

Marine Life - Most local guides have two things to say about Shaab el Erg - Dolphins and Mantas! Dolphins can be seen frequently all year round in the lagoon, manta hang out on the north point and are seasonal (February, March are the best months). On the plateau surrounding the Gota are scorpionfish, leopard groupers, snowflake morays, blue-spotted rays and painted triggerfish. Underneath the table corals look for whitetips. In the sand you can find coneshells, spireshells and flatfish. On the shallow reef reside unicorns, emperorflsh, bream and snapper

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SHAAB ABU NUGAR

 

 

 

 

 

Location - About 60-90 minutes north of Hurghada, Abu Nugar is composed of a long t-shaped reef to the west and a shallow plateau dotted with ergs to the east. Diving takes place on the most south-easterly ergs (Shaab Iris), two large central ergs (Gota Abu Nugar), or on the north side of the tongue pointing west from the main reef The name Abu Nugar literally means ”Father of the Pools” and refers to several clear blue lagoons in the reef top.

 

Sea Conditions - It can get a little choppy on the way over but once you get there you’re well sheltered. Current is usually mild.

Dive Plan - Some parts of this reef system are utterly dull, whilst others offer superb shallow diving with an almost virginal quality to the reefs. If you can, dive the three ergs north of the tongue - they are magical.

 

Marine Life - The reef is composed of a wide variety of hard corals: tables, braincorals, etc. The fish life is nothing spectacular but lots of broomtails, parrotfish and unicornfish.

 

 

 

 

 

UMM GAMMAR (Shaab Ruhr)

 

27°21.155'N, 33°54.550'E)

 

 

 

 

 

Big groupers and lots of sweepers in the multiple caves found along the eastern wall and dropoffs of this tiny islands fringing reef.

 

This island is surrounded by good dive sites. To the south there is a plateau with 3 small ergs on the corner, covered in glass fish. On the plateau itself, you will encounter napoleons, morays, batfishes and an occasional turtle. Towards the east and the west there are amazing drift dives to do, where white tips pass by from time to time and with a lot of caves along the wall. On the northern tip there is a wonderful coral garden, but this place is only accessible in very good weather.

 

SHAAB RUHR UMM GAMMAR

 

(27°11.550’N, 33°54.550’E)


This reef lies 1km south of Umm Gammar and offers 2 good dives. Make a drift on the east side where the slope is steep and drops to great depths, with possibilities of encountering reef sharks and big sized groupers. Or you make a dive on the south plateau with the wreck and drop off beyond it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FANUS

 

TORFA  FANUS (EAST)


This narrow reef creates a huge calm lagoon, a great place to stop for lunch and catch the sun before the second dive of the day.  The lagoon itself and the enclosing reef wall is relatively uninteresting and naturally lifeless but on the seaward side the area bursts with all manner of sea creatures. Swim through the gap between the first erg and the reef wall and head across the coral garden to the second erg, home to hordes of glass fish and the very occasional frog fish. Continue with the reef wall on your left to see the gorgonians on the corner of the reef where it turns west, if you have enough air continue along the north face where the corals are pristine, if not return with the reef on your right and explore the first erg before returning to the boat. Dolphins are often encountered anywhere around this reef so keep an eye out.

FANUS WEST


The other end (west) of the Fanus reef has two main ergs and several smaller pinnacles off its west end. You can follow the reef wall round and explore the reef face and coral gardens which is full of marauding jacks or if you feel energetic you can swim the 50m to the furthest erg which is well worth a visit, explore the remaining erg and pinnacles on the way back. Again watch out for dolphins at anytime during the dive as they are frequent visitors.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RAS DISHA

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The fringing reef which surrounds this cape offers a good shallow dive on the hard coral garden found north of the lighthouse with schooling barracuda, napoleon fish and groupers. Garden eels.

 

 

 

UMM DOM (STONEY BEACH)


Here the steep cliff of the north east side of Giftun Kebira island plunges into the depths and continues into the abyss, the reef wall drops to about 12m and then there is a steep, tumbling slope to the top of the drop off at about 27m. Most of the life here is above 15m as the lower slope and top the drop off are sometimes swept by strong currents coming through the straits, stunting the growth of the coral and giving a lunar appearance. Half way down the slope you will find a lettuce leaf coral, in the blue you will find fusiliers, and triggers, maybe sharks and turtles. At the top of the slope you will find morays, scorpion fish, barracuda and clouds of antheas.  Whale sharks have been spotted at this site on occasions.

 

 

GIFTUN DRIFT

 

 

(27°11.030'N, 33°58.530'E)

 

 

Several good dives are found on the reefs around this island, the most famous the drift dive on the giant fan coral forest at the eastern fringing reefs wall. Napolean fish.

 

This spectacular wall dive lies on the eastern/southern side of the smaller of the two Giftun islands. Boat moorings on the southern side of the island offer some of the best shelter in the area for overnighting or just a lunch break.

The eastern wall drops sheer to great depths. It is very contoured, and its craggy profile features some interesting caves. Some of these lie fairly deep. One arched swimthrough at over 45m (150ft) is particularly impressive, but lies too deep for many divers. The reef shallows along the southern coast are less challenging, with depths from 18m (60ft) upward.

The reef is well covered with both hard and soft corals. The steep wall section boasts a phenomenal congregation of gorgonians, as well as dense growth of sea whips and antipatharian black corals. The reef shallows are particularly rich in friendly smaller reef fish while big impressive pelagics buzz past in the blue waters off the wall.

 

 

 

 

 

ABU RAMADA ISLAND

 

 

(27°09.784'N, 33°59.046'E)

 

Rising from a flat, sand seabed around 15m (50ft) deep, this site is even more isolated than Erg Abu Ramada. About 2km (1.2 miles) south of Abu Ramada island, the site is relatively shallow and quite flat, with a collection of smaller coral heads around it.

Fish life here is phenomenal, possibly the richest in the area. The smaller reef fishes are well represented and the sand floor hosts stingrays and even nurse or leopard sharks. Jacks, barracuda and small tuna can often be seen in big schools off the reef, and there is always a chance that a gray or whitetip reef shark may cruise by.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EL MINA WRECK

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Location Just east of Hurghada harbour, El Mina is an Egyptian minesweeper, sunk around 1969, by Israeli fighter planes. She rests on a rocky sea bed, sloping from 25 metres under the bow to 32 metres at the stern. The wreck lies on a north-west-south-east axis on her portside. There has been an attempt in the past to rename her "The Israeli Torpedo Boat" but it should be obvious that her starboard anchor and a hundred metres of chain are paid out, hardly a fighting manoeuvre. Also, there is no hardware for the firing of the alleged torpedoes.

Sea Conditions It is always calm here, in fact, the wreck is a bad weather alternative for those turning back from a blown-out trip to the wrecks at Abu Nuhas. Current can scream through here from the north but there is always shelter behind the decks of the ship. Visibility is usually somewhere between poor and disastrous.

Dive Plan The wreck is only 60-70 metres long, so no need to rush. The aft section is bristling with winches and anti-aircraft guns, while the fore-deck guns have been sheared off. The blast-hole area is suitable for penetration, though elsewhere it is inadvisable. All around on the seabed are live shells - look but do not touch.

Marine Life The wreck is generally fish-free and surprisingly unencrusted with coral except for a few notable exceptions. The blast-hole allows vast hoards of glassfish to shelter from groups of marauding jackfish. In this area is also a lone anemone. Leave the clownfish alone, it is already exhausted from defending its turf against dozens of divers every day. Instead, go and have a look under the flukes of the anchor (not the paid out one). It harbours a thicket of black urchins amongst whose spines lurk several cleaner shrimps.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CARELESS REEF

 

(27°18.700'N, 33°56.200'E)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Two pinnacles rising from a shallow plateau surrounded by deep water. Magnificent coral gardens famous for the numerous giant morays encountered there, as well as the whitetip reef sharks and schooling reef fish.

 

Location About one hour north-east of Hurghada, a mid-sea reef plateau pushes up from the abyss. It is mostly in the 12-25-metre range, gently sloping to 22-24 metres at its edges where it drops off steeply. Standing on the plateau are two ergs, the larger one to the north-west, the smaller one to the south-east. They are surrounded by a forrest of coral that swarms with fish.

Sea Conditions The ergs offer no protection from the sea and this lack of decent anchorage has saved Carless from its own popularity (divers cannot get here every day). The current is unpredictable. On the surface, it always comes from the north but deeper down, it has been known to run any which way.

Dive Plan There are two good dives here. First, drop in to the north of the ergs and head south along the eastern drop-off, finishing on the southern erg. Alternatively, dive from the moorings, taking time to explore both sides of the plateau and circling the ergs in a figure eight.

Marine Life This place is crawling with just about everything. On the plateau keep an eye out for free-swimming morays, whitetip sharks, turtles and to the north, a school of bannerfish. On the drop-off look for tuna, giant trevallies, huge groupers and in the early morning, hammerhead sharks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

SHAAB SABINA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Location About 150 metres from Shaab Sabrina, Erg Sabrina is a small, isolated reef in the middle of the Giftun Strait. It sits on a sandy seabed between 10 and 12 metres. To the east and west are gardens of firecoral and to the north is a smaller erg, home to glassfish and it is great for photography.

Sea Conditions Perfectly calm but often a steaming current.

Dive Plan There is only one dive plan for a small erg like this. Go around it. Do not waste your time on the south side which is dull but make sure you get to the small northern erg. On the west side is a white sand patch, home to a large school of goatfish.

Marine Life Turtles, big puffers, goatfish, Arabian angelfish, emperor angelfish, nudibranch, lobster and a lot of small reef fish.

 

 

 

 

ERG SOMAYA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

South of the Island, this reef offers superb wall diving with possibilities of encountering reef sharks and sized groupers. Small wreckage.

Location About 75 minutes outside Hurghada, on the east side of Giftun Soraya, is Erg Somaya. To the south is the tower of the Giftun police station, to the north is a prominent ridge of mountain. The reef slopes steeply to a sandy ledge between 15 and 24 meters, beyond which it drops to 50 plus meters. There are two pinnacles on the ledge. One, between 18 and 10 meters, has a mooring buoy attached. The other, to the north, between 20 and 12 meters, is shaped like a pyramid and is overgrown with a thick crop of purple soft corals. Beneath the ledge and between the two ergs is a distinct nose with two caves, at 25 and 32 meters, joining to form a chimney.

Sea Conditions The moorings are very close to the reef, so in rough weather it can be difficult to put a boat there. The area is ravaged by a strong current much of the time, in which case it is easier to drift dive.

Dive Plan If you choose to drift, then jump in to the north and surface at the boat, which waits on the moorings. Alternatively, the site connects with Small Giftun Drift. So, drop in at the moorings and follow the wall southward until you reach the south plateau of Small Giftun. Leave the drop-off and head to the shallow reef. Shortly after you round the corner, you will start to see the moorings and your boat should be waiting there. Whichever way you dive it, make sure you visit the cave to be hypnotised by the billowing curtain of glassfish. Go through only if you are experienced enough and take your time along the drop-off to admire the deep rich colours of soft corals and gorgonians.

Marine Life Batfish, barracuda, tuna, jackfish, Spanish mackerel, napoleonfish, morays, turtles, groupers and if you are lucky, whitetip sharks. Feeding on glassfish in the cave are lionfish and redmouth groupers. You can also find Spanish dancers here by daylight.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GOTA ABU RAMADA

 

(27°08.340'N, 33°57.196'E)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

South of the island, a little reef features a shallow plateau also named the "Aquarium" because of the abundant schools of butterflies, banners and snappers here foung swimming around the mountains of coral gardens.

Location On the south-east side of Abu Ramada (60-90 minutes out of Hurghada) is a wide, sandy shelf, stretching eastward. Just before it drops off, three large ergs rise up from the seabed (18 metres) to just beneath the surface. They lie in a line, the biggest to the south and smallest to the north.

Sea Conditions Much of the time, the site is too rough to dive, as it is very exposed. Spared the ravages of divers, it has retained its untouched beauty. All previous adjectives to describe the current fail here. To say it rips is an understatement most of the time. And yet, occasionally, it is as calm and placid a place as you could ever want to dive.

Dive Plan Do not waste your time going to the drop-off (30 metres to the east). There are better places for that. Your air is more wisely used circling the three ergs at ascending depths. Visit the small caves on the east side of the largest erg and the north side of the middle one. The north sides have a particularly healthy growth of purple soft corals (due to the prevailing current) and the shallows are also very prolific. This is a must for photographers.

Marine Life It would be easier to list what you do not see than what you do see but most obvious are morays, napoleonfish, tuna, barracuda, unicornfish, groupers and a cloud of millions of tiny anthias.

 

 

 

EL ARUK

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Location North of Gota Abu Ramada (between 45 and 75 minutes from Hurghada) a wide swathe of ergs stands on a 12-metre seabed like a field of mushrooms. They stretch from south-west to north-east and fall into three main zones; Aruk Diana (south-west), Aruk Giftun (central), Aruk Gigi (north-east). "Aruk" is simply the Arabic plural for "erg". They also go by three other names - Aruk Tweil, Shaab Kweiss or the Magic Mushrooms. The illustration shows Aruk Diana.

Sea Conditions In the lee of Giftun Kebir, they are well protected but they do catch a strong current from time to time.

Dive Plan Any which way you like but take care not to get lost. If you have a poor sense of direction, choose an erg central to the area (ie. the split erg in the illustration) and use it as a reference, passing by it each time you leave one erg and head to the next. Most people tend to dive around the base of the ergs (the least interesting part). Do not be afraid to go shallow where the life and colour are most vivid.

Aruk Diana is composed of seven ergs (six are illustrated), centred around a central split erg. Aruk Giftun is a group of seven on a rocky seabed. One of the smaller ones has a cavern full of glassfish, lionfish and scorpionfish. Aruk Gigi is an almost straight line of eleven. They are close together and each one is easy to see from the next.

Marine Life There are the usual parrotfish, triggerfish and rabbitfish plus bluespotted rays, morays, various yellowfish and an unusual amount of snowflake morays

 

 

 

 

 

 

ABU HASHISH

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shallow labyryth on the south side of the island where lots of blue spotted stingrays, puffer fishes and morays are found swimming through a pinnacle landscape. Also drift dive along the eastern wall.

Location Abu Haschish is the island at the centre of a wide bay, 90 minutes south of Hurghada. The island was once used as a drop-off point for smugglers bringing hash into the country. A tongue of reef extends about one kilometre south of the island. The dive site is at its southernmost tip. There is a shelf between 15 and 22 metres outside and beyond that a steep but fairly bare drop-off, usually with superb visibility. Inside the tongue of reef is a scattering of long ergs.

Sea Conditions Rough seas often make this site inaccessible from Hurghada, although the site itself is well protected. Current is mainly north to south and strongest along the drop-off.

Dive Plan Leave the lagoon through an obvious channel, filled with table corals, cross the shelf to the drop-off and follow it north. There are some beautiful caves in the 30-metre region. Return along the inside of the shelf and finish the dive back on the lagoon amongst the ergs.

Marine Life Along the drop-off, pelagics, such as jackfish, barracuda, Spanish mackerel, whitetip sharks and now and then, hammerhead sharks and feathertail rays. On the shelf, turtles, bluespotted rays, Spanish dancers, morays, lunartail and leopard groupers. In the lagoon, squid and baby barracuda schools.

 

 

BANANA REEF

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Location Just off the end of Ben el Gebel, in the middle of the Giftun Straits, sits Banana Reef. It is also known as Gota Ben el Gebel, Gota Torfa el Shait or more poetically, Shaab Farasha ("Dragonfly Reef"). It is a Y-shaped reef, lying in shallow water (15 metres).

Sea Conditions It is pretty well sheltered to the south of the reef where the moorings are. Current can often be very strong. Being in shallow, sandy water, the visibility drops dramatically in bad weather.

Dive Plan You can moor up and dive on either side of the reef. The north-east point has a few shallow caves. The north-west point on the other hand, has a particularly stunning erg. Do not waste time on the lee side (south) of the reef. It is naturally dead. Head toward the outer reef. At the corner is a fan-shaped boulder that is home to a school of bannerfish. Here you should turn away from the main reef and head west. Twenty metres away is a 4-metre high pinaccle, carpeted in purple soft coral, and another 20 metres beyond that is the erg. It is overhanging on the south side with a nest of coral fragments beneath. The north side is sloping and is also carpeted in pink, purple and lilac soft corals. Beyond it is a gorgonian-clad boulder. To the north the reef slopes to 20 plus metres.

Marine Life Mainly bannerfish but also unicornfish, emperor angelfish and puffers.

 

 

 

 

 

BEN EL GEBEL

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Location

Between Giftun Soraya and Giftun Kebir is a narrow strait. A long crescent of reef projects out into it from the north end of Giftun Soraya - this is Ben el Gebel ("Between the Mountains"). It also goes by the names of Shaab Torfa, Shaab Dorfa and Torfa el Shait. At the end of this crescent of reef are five ergs. This is your dive site. It is about 90 minutes from Hurghada.

Sea Conditions Though waves may be pounding on the outside reef and the wind may be howling, the lagoon stays calm. You can venture out through the channel. This whole area is washed by current, which runs through the strait much of the time.

Dive Plan Exit through the channel at 8 metres. If you are feeling lazy, then go no further than the three closest ergs. There are some beautiful gorgonians on their north end. If you are feeling athletic, then head out to the furthest erg. It is not dived much, so it is full of fish and has some impressive overhangs veiled in glassfish. Be careful not to venture too far out into the strait, divers have been known to get lost and surface on neighbouring Gota Ben el Gebel or Banana Reef by mistake. It is a long swim back.

Marine Life Painted triggerfish, puffers, yellowspine tang, napoleonfish and onespot snappers populate the reef. Orangespot jackfish hunt the glassfish beneath the overhangs. On the far north side barracuda and occasionally whitetip sharks and eagle rays wander through. Close to the reef are clownfish living in large groups in their anemones.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FANADIR

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Location Fanadir is a long, narrow reef, just north of Hurghada. It can be dived on the south end, on the east side or in good weather, on the north end. The illustration shows the east side, which is the most popular, as it is protected from the weather by a slight curve in the reef. It is marked by four low-lying rocky islets. A shallow hard coral wall slopes (at about 60°) to a sandy ledge at 12 metres. This sandy ledge is about 50 metres wide and narrows as you head northwards. At 20-25 metres it drops off to greater depths.

Sea Conditions Current comes from the north and is usually mild. The south end and east side are protected from northerly or north-westerly winds (most of the time).

Dive Plan The drop-off is naturally sandy, devoid of coral and fairly depressing. Do not waste your time here, you should be shallow, heading out at 12-15 metres and returning at 3-4 metres. In fact, the shallower the better. There is a small but very photogenic coral block at 14 metres and just north of the islets. It has glassfish, cardinalfish, soft corals, etc. and usually a resident stonefish. One hundred metres north of here are some impressive gorgonians.

Marine Life This place is crawling with pipefish. They must provide food for the stonefish, scorpionfish and humpback scorpionfish, which are abound. If you had to choose any one site to look for stonefish, this should be it. Near the surface is teeming with silversides and occasionally small packs of tuna and jackfish cruise by hunting them. Other residents include snowflake morays, yellowmouth morays, octopus and lots of lionfish. There have also been reports of frogfish, guitar sharks, mantas and even a hammerhead shark at this site.