Sinai Peninsula dive sites

Ras Nasrani offers a different character to the famous Tiran reefs. While Jackson and Thomas Reefs are remote offshore pinnacles requiring boat trips into the strait, Ras Nasrani is a mainland headland close to Sharm El Sheikh's northern hotels. Currents tend to be more predictable, and the coral wall is more accessible. Fish life is comparable in diversity, though Tiran typically attracts more sharks. Ras Nasrani compensates with better soft coral coverage and a more sheltered feel on its southern side.

Currents at Ras Nasrani are driven by tidal flow through the Straits of Tiran and are strongest during spring tides, which occur around full and new moons. The northerly current that brings nutrients and pelagics is typically strongest in summer months from June through September. Dive operators check conditions before each dive and adjust the entry point and drift direction accordingly. When currents are strong, the site is better suited to experienced divers with good buoyancy control.

The site is generally rated as intermediate due to the currents around the headland. However, on calm days with minimal current, particularly on the sheltered southern side of the point, experienced instructors do bring advanced beginners here. The key factor is current conditions on the day, which vary significantly. Most dive centres will assess conditions and divert to a more sheltered site if currents are too strong for the group's experience level.

The MV Yolanda was a Cypriot freighter that sank in 1980 at the tip of Ras Mohammed. The ship carried a cargo of bathroom fixtures and has since broken apart and slipped deeper. What remains accessible to recreational divers between 15 and 25 meters is the scattered cargo field: porcelain toilet bowls, bathtubs, and basins now encrusted with coral and surrounded by reef fish. The ship's hull rests much deeper beyond recreational limits, but the cargo field creates one of the most bizarre and photogenic underwater scenes in the Red Sea.

Currents at this site range from mild to strong depending on tidal conditions and can shift direction during the dive. The standard dive plan involves a negative entry and drift from Shark Reef to Yolanda Reef, using the current rather than fighting it. Dive guides assess conditions before each dive and adjust the entry point accordingly. While intermediate divers can handle typical conditions, strong current days may require advanced experience and good buoyancy control.