Umm Usk - Dive site - Egypt

A guide to scuba diving at Umm Usk

Dive site: Umm Usk

Location: Egypt, Sharm El Sheikh to Hurghada

Dive type: Wall dive, reef dive, boat dive

Skill level: Beginner

Visibility: Average underwater visibility at Umm Usk is 20m / 65 ft.

Depth: The maximum depth at Umm Usk exceeds 30m / 100ft. Average depth is 18 m / 60 ft.

Water temperature: Seasonal changes affect the water temperatures at Umm Usk. February is the coldest month with water temperatures from 20° C (68°F). September is the warmest month with temperatures around 27° C (81° F).

Dive site information: Umm Usk consists of a semi-circular lagoon. The entrance is located at the western side of the reef, and is partly blocked by a big egg-shaped patch reef. This part, where to individual reefs meet, is where most scuba diving takes place. Umm Usk is a varied dive site, including large heads, steep reef walls and mushroom-shaped pinnacles.

Marine life: Good coral growth and many different soft and hard coral species. Branching forms are in very good condition. Acropora is present in different forms, such as antler, table and spreading formations. There are a lot of parrotfish, snapper, wrasse, emperor, butterflies, angles, fusiliers, surgeons and big groupers – in other words, the usual colourful reef gang. If you do a night dive you will probably meet cuttlefish and squids. The lagoon is also popular among the bottlenose dolphins.