Moray Garden - Golden Blocks

Overview

Moray Garden is the jewel of Dahab's "Southern Oasis," a string of sheltered reefs about 10km south of town that reward divers with some of the healthiest hard coral in the area. The site takes its name from the pair of golden-hued coral towers that rise from the slope, and it sits in easy reach of its neighbours Three Pools and Golden Blocks, so most operators run the three as a relaxed drift. Calm, shallow and almost always current-free, it is a forgiving site that still feels genuinely wild.

The Dive

You drop onto a sandy slope and choose your direction — the reef can be run as a gentle drift north toward Golden Blocks or south toward Three Pools. Keeping the reef on your left and working down to around 16-20m brings you to the two golden coral towers, marked by a large gorgonian sea fan standing at about 18m. A little deeper, a sandy canyon cuts down from the shallows and shelters a huge, beautifully preserved sea fan near 22m, and small gorgonian-lined chasms run to 25-30m for those who want them. The shallow plateau at 5m makes a comfortable place to start a course or end a dive, and because the reef is tucked away from the prevailing wind and swell the conditions stay benign. Most of the best scenery sits in the 10-20m band, so there is no need to push deep.

Marine Life

The coral heads are busy with anthias, butterflyfish and the moray eels that give the reef its name, often several to a single coral block. Glassfish pack the overhangs, scorpionfish and crocodilefish lie camouflaged on the sand, and parrotfish and surgeonfish graze the reef tops. Watch the sandy canyon for stingrays and the occasional passing turtle, and check the gorgonians for tiny commensal life if you are diving with a macro eye.

Good to Know

This is an all-levels site and a popular choice for training, thanks to the shallow plateau, sheltered water and minimal current. Visibility is typically very good, commonly 15-30m. Access is by short drive south from Dahab to the entry point, then a shore entry over the reef, so it works well as a relaxed day of two or three dives strung along the Southern Oasis reefs.