Hamata, Red Sea, Egypt

Sha'ab Claudio

Sha'ab Claudio (also Sha'ab Claudia) is a complex of small reefs and islets in the Fury Shoals, a vast offshore reef system off Hamata. The site is famous for its labyrinth of swim-throughs, tunnels and small caverns cut into the reef, navigable in good buoyancy and torch in hand even on a single tank. The largest tunnel runs for around 30 metres at 10–12 metres depth, lit by shafts of sunlight and lined with glassfish schools and small coral colonies. Outside the tunnels the reef is a coral garden with hard coral cover from the surface to 25 metres, anthias clouds, anemones, parrotfish and the occasional resident hawksbill turtle. Currents are usually mild and the site is suitable from Open Water level (with tunnel briefing). Visibility 25 metres typical. Liveaboard or long day-boat from Hamata.