On air, divers, affected by nitrogen narcosis may imagine the square rock as a pharaoh’s sarcophagus. However, with a more sober mindset during a trimix dive, it becomes clear that it is just a large square rock.
The Arch // ELPHINSTONE ELPHINSTONE REEF (Sha’ab Abu Hamra in Egyptian) is located close to the coast about 30 km/20 mi north of Marsa Alam. The reef is about 500 m/1,640 ft long from north to south. The spectacular walls drop vertically into the depths and the often-strong currents can be very unpredictable. At the northern end, a long, narrow plateau extends far from the main reef. At the end—at about 35 m/115 ft depth—there is a huge crack in the reef as if a giant had Arzucan Askin cleaved it with an axe. This is a good place to hang for a while to look for sharks. The southern plateau is somewhat smaller, but a few cleaning stations attract thresher sharks, mantas, and other big game. Close to the surface along the reef
or under the boats at the southern end, it is very common to meet the curious and sometimes a little bit too frisky Carcharhinus longimanus—the oceanic white tip shark. Robert Moresby, an officer in the Indian Navy, reportedly baptized the reef with its English name in 1830 after Mountstuart Elphinstone (1779-1859) who had just retired from his position as Governor of Bombay for the East India Company (1819-27). There are no wrecks at Elphinstone—with its location close to the coast, the reef lies far from the sailing routes through the Red Sea. It has, therefore, not been necessary to establish a lighthouse. But Elphinstone still hides another deep secret.
PHOTO ALEX MUSTARD August 2023 · Quest
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