Gordon Reef.
The southernmost Tiran reef, recognisable by the wreck of the Loullia on its reef top and a lighthouse on its southern point. The dive usually crosses a plateau scattered with coral-encrusted metal barrels, passes a sandy depression known as the shark pool, and then follows the drop-off. On the southern plateau, strong current brings a chance of eagle rays and, in season, hammerheads.
What's down there.
- Wreck of the Loullia on the reef top (not dived)
- Coral-encrusted barrels on the plateau
- 'Shark pool', a sandy amphitheatre on the plateau
- Garden eels towards the northern end
- Overhangs at the back of the reef
- Eagle rays
- Whitetip reef sharks
- Scalloped hammerheads (seasonal)
- Napoleon wrasse
- Tuna
- Garden eels
- Moray eels
- Blue-spotted rays
- Snapper
- Octopus and nudibranchs
- Manta rays (occasional)
The reef top comes to within about a metre of the surface. Boats moor over a plateau at about 8 m (Red Sea Diving College), and the drop-off begins at about 16–20 m (Red Sea Diving College; Oonas Dive Club). pro-taucher describes the south-west plateau at 10–25 m, and Wannadive gives a maximum of 35 m.
pro-taucher says current on the southern plateau is usually strong. Red Sea Diving College says the south edge itself rarely has strong current but warns of fast drift across the plateau. The reef is dived either from a mooring on the plateau, heading east to the drop-off and north along the edge, or as a drift that continues round the northern corner if the current allows. It is rated intermediate. Boat time from Na'ama Bay is about 75 minutes (pro-taucher), the shortest of the four Tiran reefs. Protected status: Tiran Island was part of Ras Mohammed National Park (Wikipedia); the sources consulted do not state the reefs' own designation or whether a park fee was charged for them in 2007–09. pro-taucher says passports and the full Egyptian visa were needed for trips to the Tiran reefs. Tiran Island was transferred to Saudi Arabia in 2017 (see region notes).
How it got there.
The Loullia, described by pro-taucher as a Swedish-built cargo ship, ran on to the reef on 29 September 1981 after a storm drove her off course. Much of her hull has since corroded away. The sources consulted do not establish where the barrels on the plateau came from.
3 dives.
From the log — the dates follow the pattern I dived, so read them as representative rather than exact.