Elphinstone Reef

Elphinstone Reef is a coral plateau rising from the open Red Sea south of Marsa Alam, reached by boat from the mainland coast of Egypt's Red Sea Governorate. The reef runs roughly north to south with walls that drop to around 100 metres on both sides, and it is rated a technical dive with strong current as a defining feature. It is known for oceanic whitetip and hammerhead sightings along the drop-offs, particularly toward the plateau's southern end, and barracuda, manta rays, Napoleon wrasse, trevally, and tuna are regularly seen along its length. Divers commonly explore the shallower plateau before working along the walls, where currents can turn strong and unpredictable, part of what draws the bigger pelagics in the first place. Its open sea position leaves it exposed, and divers have also reported reef sharks, tiger sharks, whale sharks, groupers, snappers, and even dolphins passing through, along with smaller life like nudibranchs, fusiliers, and clownfish on the reef itself.

Confirmed by our research team, reported by independent divers, or observed nearby via iNaturalist — each entry is labelled with its source.

• Reef sharkReef sharkReported here · unconfirmed
• DolphinDolphinReported here · unconfirmed
• Red Sea AnemonefishAmphiprion bicinctusReported here · unconfirmed
• Blue-green ChromisChromis viridisReported here · unconfirmed
• Tailspot SquirrelfishSargocentron caudimaculatumReported here · unconfirmed
• Masked ButterflyfishChaetodon semilarvatusReported here · unconfirmed
• Indian Bullethead ParrotfishChlorurus sordidusReported here · unconfirmed
• Orangestripe TriggerfishBalistapus undulatusReported here · unconfirmed
• ClownfishClownfishReported here · unconfirmed
• GrouperGrouperReported here · unconfirmed
• Tiger SharkGaleocerdo cuvierReported here · unconfirmed
• WrasseWrasseReported here · unconfirmed
• SnapperSnapperReported here · unconfirmed
• Whale SharkRhincodon typusReported here · unconfirmed
• Napoleon (humphead) wrasseNapoleon (humphead) wrasseConfirmed present · 2 independent sources
• BarracudaBarracudaConfirmed present · 2 independent sources
• TunaTunaConfirmed present · 2 independent sources
• Oceanic whitetip sharkOceanic whitetip sharkConfirmed present · 4 independent sources
• Hammerhead sharkHammerhead sharkConfirmed present · 4 independent sources
• TrevallyTrevallyConfirmed present · 2 independent sources
• Manta rayManta rayConfirmed present · 2 independent sources
• NudibranchNudibranchReported here · unconfirmed
• FusilierFusilierReported here · unconfirmed