Reef · Drift

Abu Helal

Dahab, South Sinai, Egypt

Best for advanced divers
Wall / drop-off
Drift dive
Night dives possible

Find a dive center Show on map

Type

Reef · Drift

Max depth

50 m

Level

Advanced

DepthLagoon 7-12m; the split reaches 30m; the slope runs to 38m

LocationNorth of Dahab, immediately before the Canyon on the coast road.

ConditionsShore entry that needs high tide and calm water; current at the entry can be strong and is made worse by waves. Medium current outside, good visibility. Also one of the better night dives on this coast.

Overview

At Abu Helal the hardest part of the dive is getting in and out. The entry is a notch that takes the swell head on, so the site needs high water and a flat day, and groups that misjudge it spend the surface interval climbing over rock. What is on the other side is a semi-circular sandy lagoon at 7 to 12 m opening onto rolling coral hills, with a promontory to the north and a split in the reef that drops to 30 m.

Dive plan

The lagoon is crossed first, then the dive works out over the coral hills, which roll rather than step and make depth easy to hold. The split in the reef and the small canyon in it reach 30 m and are the deep part of the site. Abu Helal is also the end point of the drift down from Abu Talha, which removes the awkward entry from the plan and leaves only the exit.

What to see

Lionfish hang under the coral heads, groupers and potato grouper hold the deeper ground, and triggerfish, unicornfish and butterflyfish work the hills. Rays lie on the sand between them and young barracuda school over the lagoon. Turtles come through occasionally.