Gordon Reef

Overview

Gordon Reef is the southernmost of the four reefs guarding the Strait of Tiran, and for most boats heading out from Sharm El Sheikh it is the first stop of the day. It is instantly recognisable: the rusting hull of the Panamanian cargo ship Loullia sits jammed on the reef top, a landmark you can see long before you splash. Below the surface waits a broad, easygoing plateau that makes Gordon the most forgiving of the Tiran reefs — and a reliable spot for shark sightings in its famous "Shark Pool".

The Dive

The dive centres on a large plateau off the south and south-west of the reef, running from around 10m down to 25m before the outer edge falls away to a drop-off near 30m. Most plans stay on this shelf and use the wall only as a scenic backdrop. Heading north you pass clusters of old metal barrels — cargo spilled from the Loullia — where octopus, stonefish and white-peppered morays hole up; keep an eye out for the small, skittish Red Sea flasher wrasse. Shallowing onto a sandy patch brings you over a colony of garden eels.

In the other direction lies the site's signature feature: a natural amphitheatre of reef enclosing a sandy bowl, known as the Shark Pool, where whitetip and grey reef sharks are regularly seen resting or cruising, often alongside barracuda, tuna and jacks. A stand of large fan corals sits in the middle around 22–25m. Current is the variable to watch — it ranges from gentle to strong and tends to build as you ascend the eastern bank, so the standard tactic is to tuck into the reef and let it carry you shallow. On calm days the plateau is benign enough for newly qualified divers; when the current is running it becomes a proper drift.

Marine Life

Beyond the resident reef sharks, Gordon delivers the full Tiran cast: barracuda and tuna patrolling the blue, big schools of bannerfish hanging off the right-hand bank, and napoleon wrasse working the coral. The barrels and cable piles are reliable macro hunting — octopus, stonefish, scorpionfish and morays — while the sandy shallows hold garden eels and the occasional ray.

Good to Know

Gordon is dived year-round, with the best surface conditions and visibility (typically 20–35m) from spring through autumn. It is reached by day boat from Sharm El Sheikh, roughly an hour out, and is a frequent first dive on northern itineraries because the plateau suits a range of experience levels. An Open Water certification is enough for the plateau in calm conditions, but treat the current with respect — when it picks up on the eastern wall this becomes a drift dive best run with good buoyancy and a guide who knows the tide.