More on Ras Muhammad It is said that the name Ras Muhammad is derived from a
How to dive Ras Muhammad If you’re planning on diving Ras Muhammad, a liveaboard
wind-carved cliff in the area, which resembles the features of Prophet Muhammad, believed to have visited the area in the 7th Century.
is your best option to maximise your diving time on these fantastic dive sites.
Ras Muhammad National Park occupies one of the world’s most extraordinary settings: a slender, dramatically arid peninsula at the very southernmost tip of the Sinai, rising to a dramatic promontory that looks out over some of the most gloriously rich coral reefs, which emerged after a change in the coastline 70,000 years ago. The Ras Muhammad peninsula marks the nexus of the shallow Gulf of Suez and the deep intercontinental chasm of the Gulf of Aqaba, itself a small portion of the Great Rift Valley that stretches deep into Africa. Coral reefs of the fringing and hermatypic type exist close to the shoreline along the coast around Ras Muhammad. More than 220 species of coral are found in the area, of which 125 are soft coral. The coral reefs are located 50cm to 100cm below the sea surface, and have a width of 30m to 50m in most places, though in some spots on the western coast the coral reef is 8km to 9km wide. Coral reef sites include Shark Reef and Yolanda Reef, South Bereika, Marsa Ghozlani, Old Quay and Shark Observatory. The wreckage of the SS Thistlegorm, located off the coast of Ras Muhammad, is another popular site for divers.
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The area is home to more than 1,000 species of fish, 40 species of star fish, 25 species of sea urchins, more than a 100 species of mollusc and 150 species of crustaceans. Among others, sea turtles, such as the green turtle and the hawksbill turtle appear regularly in Ras Muhammad.
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Diving season Ras Muhammad favours the diver all year round, with the warmest water in summer (June to August), where temperatures often exceed 40°C and low temperatures of around 27°C. Colder waters are prevalent in and around February, where daytime temperatures average around 23°C and low temperatures of 14°C. •
Reef Summary • Good for: Reef life and drift dives • Not so good for: Beginner divers • Depth: 5 - >40m • Visibility: 10 - 40m • Currents: Moderate - strong • Surface conditions: Generally calm • Water temperature: 20 - 28°C • Experience level: Beginner - advanced • Number of dive sites: >12 • Distance: 16km (1 hour) south west of Sharm el-Sheikh, 65km (4½ hours) north east of Hurghada • Access: Resort day trips and liveaboards • Recommended length of stay: 1 week Source: Wikipedia / www.goegraphica.com / www.dive-the-world.com