Shark Observatory

Overview

Shark Observatory is the dramatic wall dive beneath the headland of Ras Mohammed National Park, named for the clifftop viewing point that towers over the water. A sheer reef face plunging into deep blue, fringed with soft coral and riddled with caves and overhangs, it is one of the signature dives of the Sharm El Sheikh circuit and a genuine chance to hang over the abyss and watch for big animals cruising the drop-off.

The Dive

The wall here falls away past 90m, but the dive is run at sensible recreational depths along the upper face — most of the action sits between about 15m and 25m. Divers drop in just past the second observation terrace and follow the wall on the left as it runs north, its face thick with Alcyonarian soft corals and broken by gullies, shelters and caves full of life. Partway along, the reef turns sharply west toward a small beach below the observatory, where large gorgonians fan out and a majestic overhang cuts back into the rock. The highlight is a beautiful cave with a fissure split through its roof, throwing shafts of light across the interior before you exit straight back onto the reef. Current can be strong and the best window is around low tide; this is a site where a surface marker buoy and attention to boat traffic matter, and the depth and exposure put it firmly in Advanced Open Water territory.

Marine Life

The draw is what comes out of the blue. Grey reef and other sharks patrol the drop-off, with whale sharks a seasonal possibility, and barracuda and big schools of jacks and trevally sweep along the wall. The face and its caves shelter glassfish, hatchetfish, groupers, snappers and sea wrasses, while turtles graze the shallower coral. Keeping one eye on the wall and one on the open water is the whole game here.

Good to Know

Diving is best from spring through autumn, with visibility typically 10-30m and clearest on a slack low tide. The site lies about fifty minutes by boat from Sharm El Sheikh and is dived as part of the Ras Mohammed day-trip circuit, very often combined with Shark & Yolanda Reef around the same headland. Strong current, real depth and boat traffic overhead make this a site to dive with a good guide and a conservative plan rather than as a casual drop-in.