National park-Ras Mohammad
In this southern point of Sinai peninsula there are 9 dives sites:
– Ras Ghoslani, Marsa Ghoslany, Ras Zaatar, Ras Burg, Eel garden, Jackfish alley, Shark observatory, Anemone city, Shark and Yolanda reef. This area is due to its specific position very rich with corals and marine life as well.
- this site is an entrance to the Ras Mohammad National park, it is easy to dive as it has no strong currents. There is a vertical wall descending to the 12- 15 meters then an easy sandy slope descending to the drop off which starts at 30 meters. Make sure you are neutrally buoyant while swimming above the drop off, especially in the area close to the huge table corals /Acropora sp./. Make sure you ascend close to the reef and that you are not entering the prohibited area at the south corner. This dive site is more known for its corals than for its fish. Common coral fish can by found close to the reef. Among them /Red stripe fairy basslet, Masked puffer, Lemon coral goby etc./
– it is a relaxing easy dive site inside the Marsa Ghoslani with a possibility to make a mooring dive, thus suited for the less experienced divers. Make sure you are ascending and descending close to the reef as the mooring lines are quite far away from the reef itself.
– a dive site for advanced divers with vertical walls and currents on the corner. Be sure that you are keeping the agreed depth as the bottom is more than 40 meters deep. In the corner, keep close to the reef as the currents often try to take you away from it.
Very typical for this site is big table coral / Acropora sp./, living together with Gorgonian sea- fan. Here, if you look close enough a Lemon coral goby is living on the top of the table coral. You can also see big groupers and pelagic fish here.
– these dive sites are intended for more advanced divers as the wall is vertical and descends to depth of more than 40 meters. Sometimes, due to the wind, it is difficult to enter the water, the same can happen at the end of the dive when getting back on the boat. It is advised to choose a different dive site in case of the strong currents. Also make sure that you are far away from the reef when you start your exit from the water as the wind can push you towards the reef. Sandy sloping bottom in Eel garden is inhabited by big amount of Red sea garden eel, look for the Yellow spotted trevally in the blue. The corners of the vertical walls of Shark observatory are rich for Gorgonian sea-fan and Red stripe fairy basslet.
– an universal dive site for beginners and more advanced divers as well. You can enter the water in many different places such as: a place marked by a white mark on the rock or at the shallow garden so-called “the Ramla” or directly on top of the canyon.
The usual starting point is at the “white mark” were there is a vertical wall descending to 20- 25 meters. If you are entering the “swim-through” make sure that you are neutrally buoyant and entering one by one.
Less advanced divers can enter the water in the “ramla” area with sandy bottom that starts at 8 meters and ends at 15- 18 meters.
More advanced divers can make an “entry with negative buoyancy” and descent directly on the canyon which starts at 20 meters.
The place is interesting because of many species of hard and soft corals, fish /Giant morays, Masked puffer, trevally sp., Twinspot snapper, Carpet flathead and many other/.
– can be dived as a separate dive site, however, usually it is a starting point for the Shark and Yolanda reef dive. Watch out for the currents and stay neutrally buoyant. While ascending stay close to the reef. What is specific for this place is a big amount of colonies of Red sea anemone fish living in symbiosis with Actinia sp. as well as Bluefin trevally, Yellowspotted.
– a dive site for experienced divers, often swept by strong currents, sometimes even pointing downwards! Use a negative buoyant entry as the current often splits in front of the Shark reef. Watch out for counter currents, which are here due to the complicated morphology of the bottom. Stay close to the reef, NEVER ascend in the inside of the reefs as the boats cannot get to you in this area and make sure you are ascending close to the reef. Watch for the depth limits and do not stray away from the group. I think it is the best dive site of the north Red sea. You can find almost all of the fauna and flora from the Red sea here, /Giant trevally, Bluefin trevally, Indian mackerel, schools of Blackfin baracuda, twinspot snapper, Circular batfish etc./, from the corals /Porites sp., Fire coral, Raspbery coral, Acropora sp. and many others/.
