Major Aqaba Dive Sites

FIRST BAY
Only twenty minutes from the dive centre, and situated next to the Marine Science Station, this shallow fringing reef with very prolific coral and fish life, starts at 2m and extends down to 30-40m and beyond. There is a small area of upwelling which attracts shoaling fish. Sea bass, shoals of fusiliers, schools of squid and octopus are common making this an excellent site for photographers. This is considered a more advanced dive site.

BLACK ROCK
This site provides very easy access and is ideal for snorkelers and anyone who is new to the area, as a coral garden starts just below the surface and extends outwards for approximately 30m when it drops away steeply. The reef is prolific with a wide range of fish and is regularly visited by turtles.

THE WRECK
This is the wreck of the 'Cedar Pride'. She is a Lebanese freighter sunk in 1986 at the wishes of King Abdullah (Prince at the time), as an attraction for divers. She lies 150m offshore and is approx. 80m long by 20m wide. Lying on her port side across two reefs in a depth of 12-27m. It is possible to pass under the hull of the ship which lies across two reefs. She has been rapidly colonized by soft corals and is home to several large sea bass, Grouper can often be spotted and she is patrolled by a shoal of barracuda! Martin Edge called this one of the world's best wrecks. (See article in Diver)

OSAMA'S REEF
Between the wreck and the shore and just off the starboard bow lies a reef sloping downward from 10m to 24m with a drop off on one side. Here can be found a profuse and wide range of corals and fish life, including larger pelagic species which approach the reef to feed. This site can be combined with the wreck, but there is rarely time to explore more than a fraction of the reef and so this site is worthy of a visit of its own.

GORGONE ONE
This is a relatively shallow site; generally (10m) though it is named after a large gorgonian fan coral which is at 16 mtrs. This site has splendid examples of massive coral formations, including a 'lettuce coral' the size of a small house. There are lots of rock pinnacles smothered in fish life, with a large range of both hard and soft corals. Throughout most of the year one of these pinnacles is covered in Lionfish which gather in huge numbers to hunt for fry. I have never failed to count less than twenty! This as you might expect is a photographer's paradise. An ideal site for second dives.

EEL CANYON
This site is aptly named and provides a dramatic dive with lots of variation in invert life; it has the advantage of lots of large coral outcrops which offer a variation in depth and contour.

BLUE CORAL
Fingers of coral extending at right angles to the coast. Covered with a profusion of fish and coral life. You also will not have to look very hard to discover the abundance of small, grey morays. This site also has the rare fluorescent anemones, but be warned they look muddy brown if photographed with a strobe.

SAUDI BORDER
(The Drop Off) so called because it is just that, you could swim into Saudi Arabia from here, but do not try it! The top of the reef starts at 5m with patch reef and the reef top itself extends approx. 30-40m seaward at a depth of 10-20m. At this point a wall of living coral drops down to 50m and beyond. There are small caverns at 30m and large plate corals abound. At around 40m a large Grouper is to be found hiding behind a rock pinnacle. Along the reef edge it is common to see turtles. The sand is home to some large rays and deep water shoaling fish, such as Jack and Tuna can be seen. If you are very lucky you may even see a shark, again a camera is a must. A more advanced dive and very rewarding.

POWER STATION
Here the reef drops from the surface to 5 mtrs then slopes to 12mtrs before dropping vertically to 200 meters in a sheer wall. Swimming along the edge of the wall offers spectacular views and large pelagic species make this their hunting ground. Soft corals abound as nutrient rich waters gently flow along the wall. This dive requires good buoyancy control and offers some spectacular coral outcrops with huge numbers of fish. The dive can be completed in shallow water between 12 and 5 meters, where an abundance of varied hard corals each with its attendant species, keep divers entertained.

PARADISE
A gentle slope with patch corals leads to a pinnacle and cave at the edge of a wall in 30M. Working back up to the south we encounter soft coral gardens at 10-15 meters. Stingrays and eagle rays are common in this area.

OLIVERS CANYON
Swim out to 12 meters where the reef starts with a gully dropping down to 30M. The top of the reef is covered in table corals, where Scorpion, Stone and Crocodile fish abound.