| Shāʿāb Maksūr · شعاب مكسور | ||
| Governorate | Red Sea | |
|---|---|---|
no tourist info on Wikidata:  | ||
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Sha'ab Maksur, Arabic:شعاب / شعب مكسور, „broken reef“, Also Sha'b / Shaab Maksur / Maksour / Mansour, is a steep-walled platform reef in the northeast of the diving area Fury Shoal in the egyptian part of Red seawhich is about 17 kilometers from the mainland. In addition to an extensive and beautiful reef landscape, the reef offers scuba divers the chance to observe large fish such as the Napoleon or the gray reef shark. Strong currents from the northeast place high demands on the diver, so this area is not suitable for beginners.
background
1 Shaāb Maksūr
is a narrow platform reef that extends from northwest to southeast and extends over a length of about 1,500 meters on the surface. It is located in the open sea, about 17 kilometers from the mainland coast. The top of the reef is about half a meter under water. The reef drops steeply on all sides to depths of over 100 meters. There are plateaus on both the northern and southern tips. In the north, the reef drops steeply to about 18 meters, then runs onto a gently sloping one 2 plateau down to 40 meters before the reef drops to 100 meters at the edge of the break.
At the southern tip, too, the reef drops to 18 meters. A long one follows 3 plateau - longer than at the northern tip - which slowly drops to 35 to 40 meters before it merges into the steep face. On the east and west side, the reef immediately merges into the steep wall.
Its exposed location and the great depth of the sea are also the reason for the strong currents that hit the reef from a north-easterly direction and also move over the north and south plateaus. This makes it necessary to check the flow conditions before the dive and to adjust the dive accordingly.
The remoteness of the reefs of the Fury Shoal Group and the current conditions on this reef ensure that these reefs are only slightly damaged and that large fish can also be observed here at a suitable time. The greatest likelihood of large fish is at the northern and southern tip.
getting there
The journey can only be made by ship. This is on day trips from 1 Ḥamāṭa from or on diving safaris possible. The journey from Ḥamāṭa takes about two hours.
There are three anchorages at the edge of the southern plateau.
Tourist Attractions
On the reef and especially on the plateaus there are numerous hard and soft corals, including sea fans and anemones. The animal world includes, inter alia. Turtles, the Napoleon fish, the conch, the gray reef shark and many small reef inhabitants. The best chances of spotting sharks are in the spring and fall.
On the south plateau, near the west side, there are two coral towers that can be seen from afar, which begin at a depth of about nine meters and are about 10 meters high.
activities
Due to the size of the reef, several dives are required to explore it. And because of the depth, dives should be the first or second of the day. If the current is strong, you should avoid diving over the southern plateau and instead do a dive on the east side of the reef.
The most popular are Circuits over the southern plateauwhich, depending on the current, often start on the west side of the plateau. When diving from the western anchorages, you pass cave cuts. Swim on the west side to the southern tip of the plateau and then return to the north to the anchorage, swimming over the plateau. If possible, you should not go out to sea because you can drift away quickly. When diving, you should always dare to look into the blue water so as not to miss large migrating fish. The circuit over the southern plateau should be carried out as an early dive in the day due to the depth that can be reached.
Another option is a dive from the north plateau to the east side of the reef. Since the anchorages are in the south, one is brought to the northern tip in a rubber dinghy (Zodiac). When diving you should pay attention to the current so as not to be driven onto the reef side or into the open sea. Sharks may be seen at greater depths. Later you stay near the reef wall. Approximately in the middle of the reef you come to a small bay where you can emerge and be picked up again by a rubber dinghy.
The third option is to say about from the middle of the east side to dive at the aforementioned bay towards the south plateau. This is the easiest tour. Here, too, you have to be dropped off by a rubber dinghy. You may even be able to end up diving all the way to the anchorages.
The reef west side is of little interest.
security
Due to the high current, you should always stay close to or above the reef in order not to be drifted into the open sea. Since the steep walls do not end until 100 meters, it is necessary to check the diving depth.
Kitchen and accommodation
Accommodation and meals are provided on the day trip and safari boats.
literature
- : Diver’s Atlas Southern Red Sea: Dive site descriptions for liveaboards and day trips. Vienna: Seainsight, 2011, ISBN 978-3-9503160-0-1 . Dive site 1-4-6.
