Scuba Diving In Sharm El Sheikh - The Gateway To The Red Sea

Sharm El Sheikh is located at the very tip of the Sinaiencrusted walls, sloping down to depths of over 1000
Peninsula, and given its ease of access to the Redmetres tend to dictate the nature of the diving in
Sea has grown over the past twenty years into oneRas Mohommed, however there are a number of
of the worlds best and most popular scuba divingbeautiful shallow reefs which are also worth spending
locations. Large amounts of scuba divers travel heretime at. There are a number of good dive sites in the
each year to sample the delights that the Red SeaRas Mohammed area, including Shark Reef and
has to offer.Yolanda Reef, Eel Garden, Anenome City, Jackfish
It offers a good variety of diving, from shore dives,Alley and Shark Observatory, all of which are
to reef dives all the way through to one of the mostcovered in greater detail in our dive sites directory.
developed liveaboard industries to be foundOf all the dive sites accessed through Sharm El
anywhere. Each year, thousands of divers flock toSheikh, undoubtedly the most popular is the
Sharm El Sheikh to sample what is truly fantasticThistlegorm Wreck, a World War II supply ship which
diving is exceptional conditions.sank in 1941. The wreck itself still contains two large
The main reason for the success of Sharm El Sheikh,Rolls Royce armoured cars, along with crates of Lee
as a diving destination is the Red Sea, which is oneEnfield rifles. Within the holds of the Thistlegorm
of the worlds richest marine environments. With overwreck, you can also see the Morris cars, Bedford
400 recorded species of coral and over severalTrucks, and the BSA military motorbikes, as well as
hundred species of fish, coupled with warm watersother supplies such as wellington boots and
and exceptional visibility, the Red Sea has everythingammunition.
that a diver will be looking for. On top of this, SharmIt is possible still to dive through parts of the
El Sheikh, due to its position on the south of the SinaiThistlegorm wreck, giving divers access to the wheel
Peninsula, has easy access to some of the worldshouse, the chart room, and the bathroom salon and
greatest dive sites, including sites such as Rasthe various holds that contained so much of what
Mohammed Marine Park, and the famous Thistlegormwas sunk. The Thistlegorm is usually a two dive day,
wreck. The diving itself around Sharm El Sheikh tendswith the first dive following the outer curcuit of the
to be focussed on a few big dive locations, includingwreck, observing areas such the Locomotive (which
the Straits of Tiran and Ras Mohammed Marine Park.was blown clear of the wreck), and the propeller
Both areas, rich in plant and marine life, tend to havetowards the rear. Nowadays, a large variety of
something to satisfy even the most experienced ofmarine life has made it's home at the Thistlegorm
divers.Wreck, and you are likely to see large shoals of
The Straits of Tiran lie 7 kilometres north east ofBatfish alongside good numbers of Barracuda here.
Sharm El Sheikh, and is actually a series of four majorEven a couple of Crocodile fish seem to have made
reefs which form the top of an underwater bridge,their home on the decks of the Thistlegorm!
and which support large amounts of hard and softOverall, Sharm El Sheikh presents scuba divers both
corals. The Straights of Tiran also offers divers annovice and advanced with a multitude of interesting
excellent opportunity to spot some of the largedives. For people looking to learn to dive, Sharm El
pelagic marine life that inhabit the area. The fourSheikh has a particularly strong offering, with
reefs, Jacksons Reef, Woodhouse Reef, Thomasnumerous established, and professionally run
Reef and Gordon Reef all offer excellent dive sites,operations. Each year, large numbers of people,
and it is certainly worth taking the time out toespecially Europeans, come to Sharm to learn to dive,
explore the Straights of Tiran in detail over theand to enjoy the various other attractions that the
course of a few days.area has to offer. In particular, it is worth while taking
The Ras Mohammed National Park is located on thethe time to visit the St Katherines monastry and
very tip of the Sinai Peninsula, and its nutrient richclimb Mount Sinai, both of which are a short drive
waters from the Gulf of Aquaba consistently bringaway.
large levels of marine life into the area. Steep coral