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Strait of Tiran
Starting from the North on the
Eastern side of the Sinai Peninsula lie the Straits of Tiran, one of
the most famous diving areas in the Red Sea. Situated in the middle
of the straits are four coral reefs, Gordon, Thomas, Woodhouse and
Jackson named after 19th century British cartographers. Enjoy
exciting drift dives, drop offs, amazing coral and friendly sharks
for the lucky at these dive sites. The beautiful lagoon next to
Tiran island is a popular destination for lunch and snorkeling.
Tiran Dive Sites
Click On the dive
site you seeking for
Gordon Reef
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Facts about
dive:
Like Jackson to the north, this reef is
marked by the wreck of a large commercial
freighter; at the southern end of the reef,
there is also a light beacon to keep other ships
off the reef. A permanent mooring point lies
just offshore near the light.
The dive site
encompasses a wide, oval sloping patchy reef
which extends to the south and east of the
shallow circular reeftop, rather like the
sloping brim of a baseball cap. The reef
composition is quite varied, with patchy
sections, sand beds and ful-fledged coral
gardens. In the centre of the reef slope, a
'shark amphitheatre' or bowl dips to 24m; a
variety of shark species can be seen sleeping on
the sandy bottom.
The site boasts a very good
range of corals, with lots of branching
varieties. All of the corals are well preserved,
in densely grown patches that often show a
remarkable mix of different species.
Fish
life is not the most profuse in the Straits of
Tiran, but there are some notable surprises
including a huge moray eel with a body as thick
as a small divers waist. Triggerfish abound
while surgeons and jacks swim in moderately
large schools, and angels, parrotfish and small
wrasse are all present in good numbers. Large
Napoleon wrasse can often be seen along the
reef.
The reef slope is suitable for
relatively inexperienced divers while more
experienced divers will enjoy the incredible
experience to be had at the shark
amphitheatre. |
Access to the
dive: By local or live-aboard boat
from Sharm El Sheikh, Naama Bay or other
ports.
Conditions: As with all Straits reefs,
can be swept by current.
Experience grade:
Everyone
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Thomas
Reef
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Facts about
dive:
This site is on a generally steep sloping
reef, which includes some plateau sections and a
very deep canyon running along the reef's
southern section. It is the smallest of the four
Tiran reefs, and its position in the chain
leaves it exposed to some fairly vigorous
currents.
The reef's upper section is a riot
of color, encompassing some of the finest soft
coral growth in the Sinai region. Huge, densley
packed fields of Dendronephthya of every
imaginable hue are spread across the reef, along
with antler corals, fine Stylophora, some
Acropora and many other stony coral
forms.
Fish live is also rich, with the
greatest concentration in the shallows. Lyretail
cod and other groupers grow to great size, and
many varieties of rabbitfish and wrasse
congregate along the reef face, accompanied by
box and pufferfish.
The only reason to go
much deeper than 20m at Thomas Reef is to
explore the canyon; an option for only very
experienced deep divers. You should not even
consider this hazardous option without
consulting your dive
guide. |
Access to the
dive: By local or live-aboard boat
from Sharm El Sheikh, Naama Bay or other
ports.
Conditions: Current can be
strong.
Experience grade:
Everyone
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Wood
House Reef
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Facts about
dive:
Lying between Jackson and Gordon Reef The
Woodhouse is a long, narrow reef running at an
angle from northeast to southwest. From its
shallow reeftop, the reef drops at a sharp angle
on all sides; although it is less than vertical
throughout the reef's length, the angle steepens
still further beyond 25m.
Woodhouse is
generally dived as a drift along the reef's
eastern side. The current is usually moderate, but
can pick up speed at certain phases of the Moon,
particularly toward the northern channel between
Woodhouse and Jackson. Care should be taken not to
get pulled around the point here, as you could be
swept off the reef into the main shipping
lane.
Coral cover is excellent throughout the
reef, with dense growth all over; there are a few
sandy patches at depths of around 20m. Many
species are present but because of the sheltered
position of the reef, away from the main current,
a certain amount of sedimentation has affected the
corals here.
Pelagic fish including big tuna
and schools of trevally or jacks. Fusilieres,
snapper, surgeons and unicorns alsoschool here,
along with thousands of other reef
fish. |
Access to the dive: Local
or live-aboard boat from Sharm El Sheikh, Naama Bay or
other ports.
Conditions: Strong current
possible
Experience grade:
Experienced
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Jackson
Reef
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Facts about
dive:
On the northern edge of the reef, the
wreck of a grounded freighter stands as a
warning to shipping in the busy straits; most of
its hull has been salvaged for scrap, leaving
only a skeletal hulk. A fixed mooring exists at
the southern end of the reef; dives begin from
this point and proceed generally northward along
the east side of the reef.
Current tends to
run from the north, and generally picks up
strength as you approach the point on the east
side. Most divers will want to make this the
northern limit of their dive, and turn back to
the south here. Strong swimmers with good air
consumption and experience in currents can round
the point, after which the current slackens, and
continue their dive along the reef's north edge.
This should only be done by prior arrangement
with your dive guide, and great care should be
taken, since divers have been swept off the reef
here.
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.
Fish life, not suprisingly, 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. |
Access to the
dive: By local or live-aboard boat
from Sharm El Sheikh or other
ports.
Conditions: As with all Tiran sites,
strong currents are a very real
possibility.
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