Woodhouse Reef

Woodhouse Reef in the Straits of Tiran, Sharm El Sheikh, Saudi Arabia, offers an exhilarating and colorful diving experience. As the longest of the four main reefs in the area, spanning approximately 0.8 miles, Woodhouse Reef presents divers with a thrilling drift dive opportunity. However, it's crucial to be cautious of the strong currents, especially near the end of the reef where a washing machine effect may occur.

This vibrant reef is teeming with a wide variety of marine life, including the iconic Red Sea fish, eagle rays, turtles, and massive tuna. In the summer months, lucky divers may even encounter hammerhead and reef sharks. The remarkable feature of Woodhouse Reef is its wall, which extends from the surface to around 45m deep. Explorers can expect to encounter fascinating crevices housing resident Giant Morays, Groupers, and Puffer Fish. Adjacent to the wall, divers might discover pinnacles where Nudibranchs and Pipe Fish reside. Keep an eye out for Giant Barracudas, Jacks, and majestic eagle rays gracefully gliding in the blue waters away from the reef.

Around 20 minutes into the dive, the wall plateaus at approximately 27m, revealing a captivating coral garden adorned with both hard and soft corals. Tec divers will find this plateau particularly intriguing, as there is a deeper canyon beyond recreational diving limits. With an average visibility of 30m, divers can marvel at the canyon and plateau from the reef wall as they drift along. Don't miss the opportunity to spot larger pelagic species like reef sharks, dogtooth tuna, and Hawksbill turtles while exploring this spectacular reef.

As Woodhouse Reef boasts a maximum depth of 25m and challenging currents, this dive site is recommended for advanced divers. It's important to note that there are no fixed moorings at this location. Before commencing the dive, the guide will assess the current and determine the starting point, typically at the Northern end of the reef, keeping the reef wall on the left shoulder.