Small Crack

Overview

Small Crack is a coral passage cut through the Sha'ab Mahmoud reef in the Strait of Gubal — the more southerly of two channels that link a sheltered sandy lagoon to the open sea. Known to local fishermen as Fossma Saghir, it is a shallow, light-filled drift through pristine coral, run by zodiac on the tide, and a long-standing favourite stop for liveaboards crossing the strait.

The Dive

This is a shallow site with real character: the crack forms a narrow channel into the inner lagoon, maxing out around 6m with an average depth of just 2-3m, the reef walls on either side standing about 2m high. A large coral formation splits the central passage into two secondary channels of roughly 5-8m. The classic plan is to take a zodiac out through the passage and drift back along the outer reef and in toward the lagoon on a rising tide, letting the current do the work. Coral growth is excellent throughout — a dense mix of stony and soft species — and the shallow, sunlit water makes it as good for snorkelling as for diving. The defining variable is the tide: currents through the channel can become extremely strong, and on a falling tide the rougher water outside the reef makes zodiac pickup tricky, so timing is everything.

Marine Life

The reef holds a diverse spread of Red Sea species across its healthy coral, and when a current is running the channel funnels pelagics in close — the moving water that makes the drift also brings the bigger fish past the mouth of the crack. On slack water it is a gentle, colourful shallow reef; on a running tide it comes alive.

Good to Know

Small Crack dives year-round and, given its shallow, easy nature, suits all levels — though the strong tidal currents mean it must be dived on the right state of the tide with a competent zodiac driver. Best conditions come with settled weather and a rising tide. The site sits in open water at Sha'ab Mahmoud in the Strait of Gubal and is almost always dived from a liveaboard rather than a day boat, as part of a crossing or a sheltered-lagoon overnight. Plan around the tide and it is a delightful, low-stress drift.