Sharm El Sheikh, South Sinai, Egypt

Ras Umm Sid

Ras Umm Sid is the cape forming the southern tip of Sharm El Sheikh, marked by the El Fanar lighthouse, and is one of the most-dived shore entries in Egypt. The reef drops as a sheer wall from 6 metres to over 50 metres, decorated with one of the largest single concentrations of giant gorgonian fans (Subergorgia hicksoni) in the Red Sea — the 'Gorgonian Forest' — between 18 and 30 metres. Currents along the wall are usually moderate and bring schools of bigeye trevally, batfish, snappers and barracuda; turtles are regular and the occasional eagle ray or whitetip reef shark passes. The shallow plateau above the wall hosts dense hard coral cover with anthias, parrotfish and lionfish. The site is dived from boats and from the El Fanar shore entry; both offer a drift north toward Temple. Visibility 25–30 metres.