Jackson Reef

Sharm el-Sheikh · South Sinai Governorate · Egypt

Jackson Reef is the northernmost of the four reefs lining the Strait of Tiran, and its exposed position at the mouth of the Gulf of Aqaba makes it the wildest and most current-swept of the group. The rusting hulk of the MV Lara, a cargo vessel that ran aground in 1981, sits prominently on the reef flat, serving as a visible reminder of the treacherous currents that have claimed ships here for centuries. Beneath the surface, Jackson Reef is a world-class wall and drift dive. The northern face drops steeply into the deep waters of the strait, and it is here, in the blue beyond the wall, that hammerhead sharks are most frequently spotted during the cooler months between November and March. Whitetip reef sharks and grey reef sharks patrol the wall year-round, while massive schools of barracuda and big-eye trevally form towering columns that stretch from the reef edge into open water. The reef top is a garden of pristine hard corals. Enormous table corals, some several metres across, provide shelter for hawksbill turtles and Napoleon wrasses. Fire corals and brain corals form a complex mosaic, and the shallow areas are alive with clouds of orange anthias, surgeonfish, and butterflyfish. The eastern and western walls feature overhangs and small caverns decorated with soft corals and sea fans. Drift diving is the standard approach at Jackson Reef. The boat drops divers at the upstream end, and they drift with the current along the wall, covering different sections depending on flow direction and strength. On strong current days, the dive can be exhilarating, with divers flying past the reef wall at speed. On calmer days, it is possible to explore more carefully, lingering at coral formations and cleaning stations where large fish gather. Jackson Reef is approximately 90 minutes by boat from Sharm el-Sheikh. Surface conditions in the strait can be rough, particularly in winter, and dive operators monitor conditions carefully before committing to the crossing. Visibility is generally excellent at 20 to 40 metres, with the crystal-clear waters of the strait providing outstanding backdrop for underwater photography.