Abu Dabab is a cluster of seven shallow reefs at depths ranging from 15m to 25m, with many caves and colourful coral gardens to explore. You can expect to see plenty of red anemones with their ever-present clownfish in this area, Blue-spotted stingrays, and Napoleon wrasse. There are frequent dolphin sightings here, too. Night dives in the vicinity are interesting, as well, as Spanish dancers are often seen here. On the southern outer reefs shark encounters are likely.
Elphinstone Reef is a long thin reef formation with stepped plateaus at both the north and south ends and sheer vertical drop-offs to the east and west. Beautiful pink and purple soft corals can be found here as well as Gorgonian fans at between 20 – 30m depth. The site is excellent for encountering large marine life including White and Grey Tip Reef Sharks, Hammerheads, Thresher sharks and Oceanic White Tips.
Shaab Sharm, or Gota Sharm is a large, kidney-shaped reef with steep sloping wall on its east and south sides. The crescent of reef around the reef’s southern tip offers the best diving, with rich coral growth from the surface shallows down. There are numerous soft coral and hard corals. There is also some black coral on the wall’s deeper sections.
Groupers, barracudas, snappers and unicorns can be seen here. Currents here can be quite strong.
Sha'ab Maksur is a big reef and the most eastern of the fury shoals. Tunas, barracudas and surgeon fish can be seen. At the southern tip of the reef there are some big coral blocks.
Claudia Reef is a small reef. The west side of the reef has is covered with hard corals. Current will normally run from north to south.
Sataya, also called Dolphin reef, is located at the southeast tip of Fury Shoal. Many different dives can be done along this reef, but most of them are on the east and southern part.
The east side is a sloping wall with many coral heads. The south side is a coral garden ideal for night dives.
There are many dolphins living in the area together with snappers, barracudas and white tips sharks.
Lying just south of the island, itself, the dive site of Zabargad is comprised of a sandy slope with numerous coral pinnacles, made up of stony corals. Each pinnacle is home to an array of reef fauna ranging from schools of anthias to large groupers. Blue-spotted Stingrays, moray eels, octopus, squid and such like are commonly found here.The site is sheltered making it an excellent place for boats to moor up overnight and night dives can be conducted here.
Only 5½ km south-east of Zabargad, this sheltered site is ideal for divers of all abilities. There is a mix of hard and soft corals and plenty of coral variety from Acropora to salad coral. Steep walls are interspersed with overhangs and the reef life is varied. Larger pelagic including Hammerhead Sharks are often sighted in the vicinity.
St. John’s Reef system lies south of the promontory of Ras Banas and only 40km north of Egypt’s border with Sudan. There are numerous sites here offering divers different experiences. There are plenty of fine coral gardens with magnificient Gorgonian Fans and Black corals. You will have a chance to see many shark species from Hammerheads to Oceanic White Tips, Threshers to Silver Tips, as well as the more common White Tip Reef and Grey Reef sharks.
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