Liveaboard diving in the Red Sea is an absolute must for all divers. The Red Sea is featured among the 7 wonders of the underwater world as so many species of marine inhabitants as well as soft and hard coral are found here. The marine eco-system includes 1100 species of fish while less than 20% of them are endemic to the sea, i.e. they cannot be found anywhere else except the Red Sea. Tropical marine life that can be spotted in this crystal clear water ranges from sharks to feather-stars. There are many varieties of fish in the region and what you will see depends on your choice of a dive site.
Apart from rich and colorful coral gardens full of marine life, Red Sea has also something to offer for wreck diving fans. Some of the best world wrecks from different ages annually attract many divers to explore their histories.
The SS Thistlegorm
It is probably the most famous shipwrecks in the Red Sea. It was built in 1940 by Sons of Sunderland and Joseph Thompson and it is 126.5m long. German bomber planes sunk her during the World War II. It is now among the iconic wrecks found in the Red Sea as it is an underwater museum and a war grave that has pieces of military history.
The wreck has good visibility of 25-30m, although it is not recommended for beginners. You can spot the bow at 15m below the surface while the propeller can be seen at 27m. You have to know the wreck completely inside and out because it is quite big. The mystery that surrounds the ship with the tragedy accompanied with the warm water makes the ship a hotspot for divers.
The Dunraven
This is a special breed of British cargo and she can be powered by either sail or steam. It is almost 80m long and she followed the route between England and India. The shipwrecked while carrying a heavy load from Liverpool to Bombay as she hit a big rock on her way to the Suez Canal.
Divers should be careful when going near it because of the strong current and you should be prepared to go 30m underwater so that you can see the wreck. Before diving it is advised to know the layout of the vessel with the route and other information that will be needed for a smooth experience.
The wreck is upside down, there are lot of sea life in the area, you will be greeted by a big maori wrasse as you are going down, you will get to see school of glass fish, nudibranchs, regal angelfish, large groupers and so on.
The Giannis D
This is a cargo ship that was built in Japan and was launched as Shoyo Maru in the late ‘60s, it was up to 100m long with a top speed of 12 knots. The ship wrecked on April 1983 when it drifted from her course. It was split into half by lightning and sank to the base of the reef that it struck. You can enter the ship through the pilothouse and an inexperienced diver can also explore the ship.
You can also explore the engine room as it is quite big and some other rooms, you may get to see a big grey mottled moray eel, prawns, mullet, coral, pipefish, butterfly fish and some other species.
The Rosalie Moller
This 108m long ship that can run on a speed of 10 knots is among the wrecks that are visited by divers. She sank while at the anchor by the German bombers, it sunk two days after the attack on the ‘Thistlegorm’.
She lies 45m deep and it is still intact with a scenic view. The masts are still upright and there are many species of fish and you can swim from one room to another. The wreck is visited by some liveaboards, however to fully explore the wreck you should go below the recreational limits.
The Salem Express
It was built in France and it conveys both the passengers and vehicles. It operated between Egypt and Saudi Arabia. It departed from Jeddah going to Safaga when she collided with Hyndman Reef that opened a big hole in the front section. As reported it was carrying up to 700 passengers who were pilgrims that were returning from the holy city of Mecca.
It was among the controversial wreck dives because of the tragedy that surrounds it. Some people think the government should forbid diving at the wreck to respect the tragedy of all people died there. Divers will be astonished by the size of the wreck. There are very few marine species that can be found here, you may see pipefish, boxfish, lone jack occasionally in the area.
Here are some of the best-recommended liveaboards for you:
Check our special selection of Liveaboards in Egypt here.
Useful links:
Scuba News “Best Wrecks in the Red Sea”
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