Elphinstone Reef

 

Description: Reef
Depth range: 0-40 Meter +
Visibility: 10-40 Meter
Water temperature: 19 ° C – 28 ° C

 

Elphinstone Reef is one of the most famous in the Red Sea.

North Plateau and East Wall:

You drop directly above the first plateau here for one of the most beautiful descents into the blue. Due to its isolated position, Elphinstone is well known for encounters with Oceanic white tip and hammerhead sharks. The north plateau is around 80m long and between 10-25m wide. It is covered with colourful soft corals and swarming with life. Clouds of orange anthias, hundreds of fusiliers, trevally and barracuda surround you. If the current allows, you can move to the end of the plateau in the north. Looking down to 45m there are beautiful formations of fan corals. Look out into the blue to spot sharks of all kinds. Returning along the main reef wall, you catch sight of beautiful gorgonians and green wire corals. The wall runs steeply down to possibly hundreds of meter below. There are many cleaning stations on the way to keep you amused and huge amounts of fish stocks – moray eels, butterflyfish, angelfish, large schools of black snappers, goatfish and more.

South Plateau and West Wall:

Depending on the current, it is possible here to either dive from the south and then move in a westerly direction, or drop on the west wall and drift to the south. It is best to dive the west wall in the afternoon for optimal light conditions. Dropping onto the south plateau, close to the reef, you are likely to come face to face with an Oceanic white tip shark or Longimanos. Visit the deep part of the south plateau that is covered with brown soft corals and swarms of anthias. In the sheltered area near the reef are many superb photo opportunities. The west wall is adorned with abundant soft and hard corals. In the shallow part (8-10m), the reef is pitted and the sunlight plays beautifully through the holes. You are bound to see moray eels, lion fish, trevallies and many other species of fish here.