South Laguna:
Travel Time: Boat trip: 1 hour/30 minutes
Description: North and South Laguna lie on the east side of the Tiran Straits, on Tiran Island. The two lagoons make ideal anchorages in rough weather, and for liveabord safaris. The entrance to the North Laguna is marked by a red and white beacon. On the outside of South Laguna is a green beacon. Outside of this, the reef drops away, forming a sloping wall rich in corals and fish life. Most of the time big swells running through the channel put this dive site out of bounds. In calm weather however, it makes a safe and easy drift dive. The wall runs between the two beacons at an angle of about 60 degrees with a diverse mix of hard and soft corals. South of the green beacon is a large plateau at about 20 m to 25 m. Dive the wall and plateau according to the current. Apart from the normal array of reef fish, the reef is visited by turtles, various pelagic fish and more rarely hammerheads from nearby Jackson reef. On the plateau you may be lucky enough to see leopard sharks or white-tips sleeping on the sand or under the numerous table corals.
Gordon Reef:
Travel Time: Boat trip: 1 hour/15 minutes
Description: The Gordon Reef is the most southerly of the four reefs of Tiran. At its northern end is a wreck, the "Loullia" a panamanian freighter built in Sweden, high and dry on the reef top. At its southern end is a vast plateau between 10 m and 25 m. This plateau is protected from waves and is therefore where most of the boats from Sharm moor up. The southern plateau is where most diving takes place. On its eastern side is a drop-off at 20 m, this makes a good dive in itself. There are some big gorgonians and plentiful reef fish and schooling bannerfish. In the centre of the reef is a sand filled depression, known as "The Shark-pool": This is the only comfortable area of flat sand on the entire plateau, so often white-tips can be seen sleeping here in the early morning. It can be found by following a bearing of approximately 220 degrees from the moorings on the south east corner of the reef. The south plateau is usually exposed to strong currents, so any dive should be planned with this in mind. It is also very easy to get lost so take care. As far as big fish go, hammerheads frequent the blue water beyond the plateau and eagle rays make an occasional appearance. When the current is running north, on a rising tide, a fast drift can be made up the eastern slope of Gordon. Drop in just north of the moorings and put your left shoulder to the reef, taking care not to be swept off the reef as you turn corner. If the current is running south, on a falling tide, it is better to dive the western slopes of the reef. Drop in at the wreck and put your left shoulder to the reef. The dive is best done shallow, with an eye out for white-tip sharks. Thomas Reef:
Travel Time: Boat trip: 1 hour/20 minutes
Description: Lies between Gordon and Woodhouse reef it is a small reef and can be almost circumnavigated in one dive. Beneath the surface its walls plunge vertically to great depths. The eastern wall is bright and colourful with a profusion of soft corals. On the sandy plateau you may come upon sleeping white-tip reef sharks. The western wall is darker and steeper with caves and overhangs shrouded in fan corals, black corals and sea whips. The eastern wall is broken at 25 m by a sandy ledge. At its northern end this ledge has split away from the main reef to form a chasm of gin clear water Thomas Canyon: The canyon makes for a breathtaking dive in itself but beyond the realm of recreational diving on air. Most boats dive the eastern wall. This dive is feasible on any current conditions but is best with the current behind you, on a rising tide. Drop in just north of the mooring, above the sandy ledge. Put your left shoulder to the reef and head north. The current can pick up greatly at the corner, so take care not to be swept into the blue. As you round the corner the current will abate or even turn against you, but not for long. You are now on the western wall, in the shallow water of the bays and gullies shelter bream, grunts and emperor fish. Turtles are often found here too. This is your pick-up point in all but the worst weather. On a falling tide, there is a classic drift dive heading south along the outside or western wall. Drop in where the current splits. In these conditions, snapper, tuna, surgeonfish and bigeye trevallies school near the reef. Woodhouse Reef:
Travel Time: Boat trip: 1 hour/25 minutes
Description: The Woodhouse lies between Jackson and Thomas. It is the least dived of the four reefs of Tiran. Not because it is in anyway inferior to the others, but because it’s narrow shape provides little shelter for boats. It can however, be drift dived in all but the worst conditions. The eastern side of the reef is the most colorful and of that the northern section is best. Start your dive about 2/3rds of the way up putting your left shoulder to the reef. As you go, a wide sandy canyon will open up beneath you at around 30 m. This is well worth a visit, it is well lit and an extremely tranquil spot. Caves leave the canyon at 40 m but are a serious option, beyond the realms of recreational diving. After leaving the canyon. Head back up to the shallow water, the diversity of corals here cannot be matched. Tuna pass by in the blue and groups of jacks hunt close to the wall. In the winter months this is one of the best places to find turtles. Driven back by the weather from their summer haunt on the north end of Jackson, they graze the shallow reef of Woodhouse. You will soon come upon a wide sandy road at 15 m. In rough weather this is the point to turn back. Both waves and current pick up suddenly beyond this point. If you`re lucky enough to have both calm weather and the current behind you then take a drift across the saddle. This is probably the fastest of the Tiran drifts. But beware, where the saddle drops away is a powerful eddy aptly named "the washing machine". Stick close to the reef to avoid it. If you are feeling adventurous ride the current into the blue, it is a good place to look for big fish but only for those with a calm head and plenty of experience. Jackson Reef:
Travel Time: Boat trip: 1 hour/30 minutes
Description: Jackson is the most northerly of the reefs of Tiran. It is marked at its northern end by the remains of a wreck "Lara", and to the south by a large military mooring buoy. All around it are steep buttressed walls and to the south a shallow plateau at around 10 m. This leads to a saddle that joins with Woodhouse Reef at a depth of 30 m. Most boats from Sharm el Sheikh moor close to this saddle where they are protected from both waves and current. There are a number of good dives here, all very different. be first of these starts at the moorings on the south end of the reef and can be done in all but the strongest current. Leave the moorings with the reef on your right shoulder and head out towards the plateau. Beneath you is a steep blue wall of buttresses and gullies to a depth of 50 m. The plateau has a huge diversity of different corals and sponges and is alive with all kinds of fish. Clouds of red toothed triggerfish ride the current. Coral trout hide in the jungle of corals and all kinds of boxfish can be seen. Out in the blue, tuna and jackfish cruise. On the top of the plateau is an area of sand and fire corals. This area is one of the best for finding stonefish and scorpion fish. Jackson also has a resident population of turtles. At the end of the plateau is a security line tied from 27 m to 16 m. Beyond here the current can pick up very suddenly carrying you away from the reef. Be warned. Return to your boat along the shallow reef, it is extremely beautiful. The second choice of dive can only be done in calm weather and on a rising tide. It is the classic Jackson drift. Jump in close to the moorings and put your left shoulder to the reef, heading northwards. There is a shallow ledge at around 15 m. The deeper wall beneath is the most likely place to find grey reef sharks cruising on the thermoclines. At the corner the current pulls away from the reef. Take care not to be swept into the blue. If you are good on air then you may continue along the northern end of the reef as far as the wreck. If you remain shallow, you may well encounter turtles. Over the months of August and September, if you are really lucky, you may see hammerheads. This area is probably the best in the Sinai for spotting these graceful creatures Kormoran (Zingara):
Travel Time: Boat Trip 1hour / 40 minutes
Description: The Kormoran ran aground in full speed at the outer northern reef edge of Tiran Island, in August 1984. The impact with the reef was so intense that every joint between the metal plates broke and her bottom was completely ripped out. Between the stern and the bow section the entire wreck lies in pieces across the reef. She lost almost the entire bow. The stern, propeller, rudder, winches and engine are still very well preserved. On the port side her name Kormoran is still clearly visible. As a part of the stern breaks the surface, the wreck is easy to locate. An easy wreck to dive as she lies between O m and 12 m and suitable for experienced and open water divers. Due to her location, the Kormoran is only accessible in calm seas and preferably in the afternoon when the tide changes. Perfect for a shallow last dive of the day. A very interesting aspect of this dive is the large concentration of hard corals with a dominant apple-green colour and in a very pristine condition. The Ship: The Kormoran was renamed in 1976 "Adamastos" and her final owner, Compagnia Montemare di Navigazione, renamed her again in 1980 "Zingara" Name: Kormoran
Built in: Rostock
Shipyard: VEB Schiffwerft
Country: Germany
Launched: 1963
Type: General Cargo Ship
Gross Tonnage: 2733
Length: 82.4 m
With: 12.6 m
Draught: 4.25 m
Cargo holds: 2
Engine: 6-cylinder diesel
Speed: 12 knots
Cargo: phosphate
Sailing from: Aqaba, Jordan
Sunk: August 22nd, 1984
Reason: Navigation error |