Umm Gamar

Umm Gamar means 'Mother of the Moon', a reference to the crescent shape of the island at the top of the reef. The island is shaped like a half-moon with a lighthouse in the middle, and the reef is isolated, formed by an underwater mountain. A coral barrier extends from the island and holds a small 'marine forest'.

On the southern plateau there is a coral garden where turtles, batfish and moray eels are commonly seen. The plateau is also home to Emperor Angels and free-swimming morays, while big groupers and lots of sweepers live in the caves along the eastern and western walls. Glassfish fill the cavities, usually alongside red-tooth triggerfish, and the coral towers let you see their natural predators: stonefish, scorpionfish and lionfish. Jackfish and tuna hunt the fusiliers, and barracuda hang in mid-water.

The northern part includes Halg Umm Gamar, 'the neck of Umm Gamar', a sheltered bay. The northern side is known for encounters with Spanish dancers even during the day, and the southern part of Umm Gamar North has black corals. The reef also has specimens of the antipatharian black bush coral, a relative rarity on most reefs. In September, titan triggerfish tend to guard their nests at the site.