Shark Observatory - Dive site - Egypt

A guide to scuba diving at Shark Observatory

Dive site: Shark Observatory

Location: Egypt, South Sinai

Dive type: Reef dive, boat dive, shore dive, wall dive

Skill level: Beginner

Visibility: Shark Observatory has an average visibility of 20 m / 65 ft.

Depth: The average depth at Shark Observatory is 20 m / 65 ft, while the maximum depth reaches beyond 40 m / 130 ft.

Water temperature: The water temperatures at Shark Observatory will change with the seasons. Water temperatures therefore vary from about 20° C (68°F) in February, which is the coldest of the winter months, to around 27° C (81° F) in September.

Dive site information: The Shark Observatory dive site begins at the end of Anemone City in the south, passes the mouth of a shallow box-shaped inlet, and ends at the observatory cliff in the north. Many years ago you could observe sharks at Shark Observatory by simply looking down from the cliff top. Today, boat traffic and tourism have made the sharks much more shy. The Shark Observatory dive site consists of a vertical wall that slopes outwards. The northern part is more dramatic and rugged than the south one, and has an abundance of inlets and crevices. Scuba divers should consider the powerful currents common to the Shark Observatory area.

Marine life: Good and varied coral growth with both stony and soft species. The walls steep profile doesn’t support dense populations of small reef fish, so the diversity and amount of fish here will be quite dependent on currents. Schools of surgeons, unicorns and snappers are often present, together with big groupers and Napoleons. The pelagic life in the area is attention-grabbing, and includes barracuda, jacks and gray and blacktip shark.