Sharm El Sheikh, South Sinai, Egypt

Jackfish Alley

Jackfish Alley lies on the western shoulder of the Ras Mohammed peninsula, named for the schooling bigeye trevally (Caranx sexfasciatus) that gather along its sandy alley between two reef walls. The dive begins on a plateau at around 18 metres, where two small caves cut into the wall at 8–12 metres provide shelter for soldierfish and glassfish; the deeper of the two opens onto the alley itself, a sandy corridor patrolled by jacks, barracuda and the occasional whitetip reef shark resting on the bottom. Beyond the alley the wall drops past 40 metres into deep blue, with grey reef sharks and tuna passing in the stronger spring currents. Hard and soft corals cover the walls thickly, and visibility commonly exceeds 25 metres. Jackfish Alley is usually run as a drift to the south, finishing under the moored boats. Ras Mohammed Marine National Park rules apply: no gloves, no touching, mooring lines only.