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The Red Sea
The Straits of Gubal separate the Egyptian mainland to the west and the Sinai Peninsula to the east. These rich waters feature coral pinnacles, including the wreck haven Abu Nuhas, walls and reefs that boast a stunning, brilliantly colored array of hard and soft corals.Ask any European diver what his favorite destination is, and he’ll likely say the Red Sea. That’s because its close-to-home sites are famed for their mind-boggling concentration of marine life, one of the planet’s richest marine ecosystems in a sea that’s bordered on three sides by desert.
A Divers Guide To: The Red Sea
Average water temp: low 70s in winter to low 80s in summer
What to wear: 7 mm wetsuit in winter; 3 mm wetsuit or dive skin in summer
Average viz: 100 feet, except during occasional plankton blooms
When to go: The Red Sea is good year-round
More Info: sportdiver.com/destinations/red-sea
Main Attractions:
Rosalie Moller: This 360-foot former cargo vessel is deep — the dive starts at 100 feet — but the wreck is smothered in marine life, including silversides, glassfish, jacks and trevally.
Abu Nuhas: A number of vessels have run aground on the Abu Nuhas seamount in the Straits of Gubal at the southern end of the Gulf of Suez — you can dive the Giannis D, Carnatic and Chrisoula K, among others.
Jackson, Woodhouse, Thomas and Gordon Reefs: These four reefs line the entrance — the Straits of Tiran — that leads to the Gulf of Aqaba. Strong currents bring barracuda, tuna and sharks.
Dunraven: Located off Ras Mohamed, this former English steamer is covered in coral.
Before You Go:
PADI Wreck Diver: To fully explore Red Sea wrecks, take this course to be prepared. Go to padi.com.
