Yolanda Reef

Yolanda Reef sits at the tip of Ras Mohammed National Park in the Sinai, adjoining the Shark and Yolanda Reef system south of Sharm El Sheikh. It is best known for its wall and drop off, and for the scattered cargo, bathroom fixtures, toilets and tiles, spilled from the wrecked cargo ship Yolanda, which sank nearby in the 1980s before sliding down the slope into deeper water. The reef itself tops out around 5 metres with great visibility, but it is rated an advanced dive because of strong, occasionally extreme currents, and divers are advised to watch their depth carefully. Marine life along the reef and wall includes barracuda, batfish, grouper, hammerhead sharks, manta rays, Napoleon wrasse, scorpionfish, snapper and tuna, with eagle rays, surgeonfish, trevally, unicornfish and even whale sharks reported by divers as well. It is usually dived as a drift from Shark Reef, taking advantage of the current that sweeps the point.

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

• SnapperSnapperConfirmed present · 4 independent sources
• TrevallyTrevallyReported here · unconfirmed
• ScorpionfishScorpionfishConfirmed present · 3 independent sources
• GrouperGrouperConfirmed present · 3 independent sources
• Manta rayManta rayConfirmed present · 2 independent sources
• SurgeonfishSurgeonfishReported here · unconfirmed
• UnicornfishUnicornfishReported here · unconfirmed
• Whale SharkRhincodon typusReported here · unconfirmed
• Eagle rayEagle rayReported here · unconfirmed
• Bluespotted Fantail RayTaeniura lymmaReported here · unconfirmed
• Giant MorayGymnothorax javanicusReported here · unconfirmed
• Red Sea AnemonefishAmphiprion bicinctusReported here · unconfirmed
• Masked PufferArothron diadematusReported here · unconfirmed
• Freckled HawkfishParacirrhites forsteriReported here · unconfirmed
• Bluespine UnicornfishNaso unicornisReported here · unconfirmed
• Rusty ParrotfishScarus ferrugineusReported here · unconfirmed
• Blue TriggerfishPseudobalistes fuscusReported here · unconfirmed
• Napoleon WrasseCheilinus undulatusReported here · unconfirmed
• BarracudaBarracudaConfirmed present · 7 independent sources
• Napoleon (humphead) wrasseNapoleon (humphead) wrasseConfirmed present · 2 independent sources
• BatfishBatfishConfirmed present · 5 independent sources
• Hammerhead sharkHammerhead sharkConfirmed present · 3 independent sources
• TunaTunaConfirmed present · 4 independent sources