Elphinstone

Elphinstone Reef, also known as Sha'ab Abu Hamra, is a renowned dive site in the Red Sea. This 300m/984ft long reef offers an average depth of 20-40m/60-120ft and water visibility of 20-30m/60-100ft. The reef's walls are a highlight, dropping far below 100m/328ft on both sides. Strong currents make it ideal for drift diving, allowing divers to observe a variety of fish, corals, sponges, gorgonias, and sea whips. This narrow reef runs north-south and can be seen from the surface breakers, with a depth of 1-2m. The southern section reaches a depth of around 40m, while the northern section descends in steps to approximately 42m. The east side features a near-vertical drop-off, while the west side is less steep and has overhangs and small caves. The surrounding waters' depth remains unknown, but it descends to several hundred meters, creating a striking contrast with the colorful coral types, including purple and pink soft corals and graceful red gorgonians.