Reef

Shaab Eshta

Hurghada, Red Sea, Egypt

Shaab Eshta is two ergs separated by a narrow channel, the western one small and the eastern one larger and roughly heart-shaped, cut by a tight passage running up to its top.…

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Type

Reef

Max depth

12 m

Level

All levels

Depth7-12m

LocationAbout 45 minutes from central Hurghada, in the Magawish area.

ConditionsPartly protected behind the islands, though it gets choppy in wind. Depths of 7 to 12 m suit any level and make it good ground for entry-level training. Current runs through the channel with the tide but rarely hard enough to cause trouble.

Overview

Shaab Eshta is two ergs separated by a narrow channel, the western one small and the eastern one larger and roughly heart-shaped, cut by a tight passage running up to its top. The channel between them is what makes the site: the tide funnels through the gap in both directions, and barracuda station themselves just under the surface in it and wait for whatever the flow brings past.

Dive plan

A figure of eight around the two ergs covers the whole site. Toward the outer limits, seagrass covers much of the bottom, while the closer perimeter is sandy flats with small coral blocks and table corals spread across them.

What to see

Barracuda hold in the channel. Both ergs carry scorpionfish, parrotfish, butterflyfish and angelfish, and schools of sweetlips, goatfish and bannerfish concentrate along the reef walls. On the sand, partner gobies share burrows with snapping shrimp, the shrimp doing the digging while the goby stands watch at the entrance.