Diving Jackson Reef - Tiran Island

DIVE AT JACKSON REEF TIRAN ISLAND - September 2021 Jackson is the most northerly of the four reefs in the Straits of Tiran. The straits are a busy shipping lane and several ships have come to grief on these shallow reefs. There are permanent boat moorings on the south side of Jackson, which is calmer than the northern side. Our crew set up ropes leading from the boat to the reef, to make it a little easier to swim to the dive site. Where we joined the reef, it was a steep wall, dotted with soft and hard corals; further along Jackson, the underwater topography levels out to a gentle slope. This site is one of the best coral gardens in this area of the Red Sea. The clouds of redtooth triggerfish, rising and falling from the coral heads, are particularly picturesque and there was little current on our dive, so we enjoyed some macro diving, peering into nooks in search of critters. Classic Red Sea marine life can be found here, including bright orange anthias, lionfish, cornetfish, butterflyfish, turtles and anemonefish. The coral garden is shallow, between 5m and 10m deep, so we had plenty of bottom time to see it all. On all the Straits of Tiran reefs, it’s worth keeping one eye on the blue. Pelagic species such as tuna, barracuda and jackfish are frequently spotted here, and Jackson is also known for sightings of scalloped hammerhead sharks, if you are very lucky. This dive has been managed by the expert team of the Sharm Scuba Service by Sprindiving. Many thanks to Alessandro and the very professional and friendly guides Max and Barbara. Shot by Franco Fonsati with GoPro Hero 9 B.E.