Ras Katy

Overview

Ras Katy is the closest dive to Sharm El Sheikh's main marina at Sharm el Maya, which makes it the go-to spot for check dives, courses and relaxed afternoon outings. A line of coral pinnacles runs parallel to the fringing reef, the tallest rising all the way to the surface, so the same site works for snorkellers floating overhead and divers exploring the towers below. It is easy, sheltered and quietly rewarding rather than dramatic.

The Dive

Boats moor in the calm channel between the fringing reef and the top of the main pinnacle. From there the dive works the line of bommies, which are draped in soft and hard coral and drop into a sandy bottom around 18m before the reef plate falls away toward much deeper water. Most of the dive sits in the easy 5 to 18m range, ideal for new divers and gentle navigation, though the slope continues well past recreational limits for those who want a glance into the blue. Current is usually mild but can pick up toward the corner in the direction of Temple, where it occasionally turns the dive into a light drift.

Marine Life

The sandy patches between reef and pinnacles are a macro hunting ground, with pairs of gobies and their partner shrimp, glassfish clouds and anemones full of clownfish. Schools of fusiliers sweep the water column and a resident white-tip reef shark patrols the deeper reef around 28m. Expect the usual Red Sea cast of butterflyfish, parrotfish and the odd cruising barracuda.

Good to Know

Diveable year-round and reliably calm, Ras Katy is one of the most beginner-friendly sites in Sharm. Visibility typically runs 20 to 30m. It is a five-minute boat hop from the marina, so it is often paired with a second, more advanced site as the easy first dive of the day.