Tower

Tower is located between Na'ama Bay and Sharm El Sheikh Harbor. The site, named for a tower-like rock formation on shore, lies just below the Tower resort complex.  This site is very popular and is considered to be a very exciting dive site. A shallow reef table starts immediately off the shore and drops down to 195 feet. As you drift with the current down along the wall, you will find fan corals that are much larger than a diver. The current is not a very strong one usually and is a great drift dive for photographers.

For shore entries and exits, especially at low tide, it is worth knowing about a short-cut.  Halfway across the reeftop, directly out from the steps, is a small submerged cave mounth.  This opens out into a passage leading through to the open water, butting out half of the awkward clamber across the reeftop.

The reef is most interesting in its upper reaches, with the exception of the canyon which drops to depths of 40m (130ft).  Coral in the top 20 to 25m (65-80ft) is excellent, with a very wide variety of species.  Quality is good, particularly in terms of the luxuriant soft coral growth, which is in fine condition.  The reef shallows host almost every fish you can imagine and reef sharks have been known to visit the reef's deeper sections.

There are caves along the wall and some of them actually open up in the shallow reef table above. There are many glass sweepers, soft corals and Red Sea bannerfish, which travel in pairs, in these caves. There are many jacks and sometimes an occasional pelagic fish that you will encounter while drifting along the wall. In the overhangs there are numerous soft corals of every color you can imagine. If you look hard, you might see a longnose hawkfish on the soft coral stalks.

The typical depth range of the Tower is 10 to 195 feet deep and is best accessed by drift boat dive or a local guide. The expertise required for this site is a novice with an instructor to advanced to a dive master or instructor.

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Last Updated: May 29th, 2011