Diving in Sharm el-Sheikh
Tiran Island and the Straights Of Tiran diving sites
The cyclopean fault in the Earth Crust the Gulf of Aqaba goes to a depth of over a mile. Tiran Island lies at the entrance of the Gulf. Here the gulf narrows and becomes shallower. In the narrow neck of the Strait of Tiran, tidal currents increase many times over. Furious tidal currents are a characteristic feature of diving in these waters.
An underwater mountain range rises across the Strait of Tiran. Four peaks of seamounts reach the surface. Four reefs of the Strait of Tiran have formed on them: Gordon, Thomas, Woodhouse, Jackson. Like many reefs in the Red Sea, they are named after the British topographers who mapped the area in the 19th century.
Ships wrecks Lara, Lovila, Million Hope, Agia Varvara, Maria Shreuder and Kormoran are a reminder of the dangers of shipping in the Strait of Tiran narrows.
Tidal currents breaking through the ridge of reefs attract schools of pelagic fish. Snappers, tunas, tropical mackerel (jackfish) accompany you on every dive. Sharks come with them. There are gray reefs, whitetip reef sharks, leopards, foxes, oceanic whitetips, and, of course, hammerhead sharks. Plankton, brought by currents, nourishes coral gardens and their inhabitants. The abundance of life in the "aquariums" of Jackson Reef amazes the imagination of the most sophisticated divers.
The best way to dive in these waters is a drift or semi-drift. Currents calm down only at the moment of transition from high tide to low tide.
The mountain ranges that fringe the Gulf of Aqaba on land create a tunnel effect that amplifies the north wind. The wind raises strong waves that break on the outer (northwest) side of the reefs. This side of the reefs is known as the "Outside". The calm water on the southeast side is called "Inside". This wind is a breeze and it blows most strongly in the late morning. By lunchtime, it usually subsides, and by the evening the sea becomes smooth as a mirror.
On our website you will find detailed descriptions of diving at the following dive sites in the Strait of Tiran:
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