Lighthouse
Conditions
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About this site
Lighthouse is a shore-entry reef dive located on the northern point of Assalah Bay in the area known as Masbat, Dahab. The site sits on the eastern side of the bay, where the reef wall undulates over and through cracks caused by an earthquake in 1995, while the western side features a sandy bottom with large hard coral towers rising toward the surface. A saddle along the reef wall leads to a coral garden on the northern side, where a large gorgonian fan coral marks the far end of the dive. The maximum depth reaches 30 metres, with the dive profile taking divers down to around 25 metres.
The reef holds a broad range of species across its different zones. The sandy slope leading from the entry point transitions into a seagrass meadow where seahorses and anglerfish are regularly encountered, often in pairs. Along the reef wall, long-nosed surgeonfish and small schools of sea bream are typical residents, while the coral towers and sandy patches between them shelter scorpionfish and crocodilefish at the saddle. Pufferfish, parrotfish, lionfish, groupers, and octopus colonise the surrounding coral garden, with turtles seen on occasion. Night dives here also offer good opportunities to find the rarer species.
Entry is directly from the beach and is described as easy in all sea conditions, including windy days, making this a reliable dive regardless of weather. The site is sheltered from wind and protected from waves and currents by a coral reef outcrop, and current is light. Water temperature sits at 28°C, and the site is diveable year-round.
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Lighthouse suits divers of all certification levels and is particularly well suited to beginners and photographers. Divers should be aware of surfers on the surface and the possibility of pollution in the bay. At the end of the dive, divers follow the reef wall and coral towers back toward the entry point.
Marine life here
Confirmed by our research team, reported by independent divers, or observed nearby via iNaturalist — each entry is labelled with its source.
FrogfishFrogfishConfirmed present · 2 independent sources
ScorpionfishScorpionfishConfirmed present · 3 independent sources
NudibranchNudibranchConfirmed present · 4 independent sources
PufferfishPufferfishConfirmed present · 2 independent sources
WrasseWrasseReported here · unconfirmed
Eagle rayEagle rayReported here · unconfirmed
Ghost pipefishGhost pipefishReported here · unconfirmed
DolphinDolphinReported here · unconfirmed
CrocodilefishCrocodilefishReported here · unconfirmed
Moray eelMoray eelReported here · unconfirmed
Sea turtleSea turtleReported here · unconfirmed
CuttlefishCuttlefishReported here · unconfirmed
Sulfur DamselPomacentrus sulfureusReported here · unconfirmed
Indian LionfishPterois milesReported here · unconfirmed
Klunzinger's WrasseThalassoma rueppelliiReported here · unconfirmed
Red Sea AnemonefishAmphiprion bicinctusReported here · unconfirmed
Purple TangZebrasoma xanthurumReported here · unconfirmed
Cauliflower CoralPocillopora verrucosaReported here · unconfirmed
Small Giant ClamTridacna maximaReported here · unconfirmed
Masked PufferArothron diadematusReported here · unconfirmed
Freckled HawkfishParacirrhites forsteriReported here · unconfirmed
TunaTunaReported here · unconfirmed
ParrotfishParrotfishConfirmed present · 3 independent sources
OctopusOctopusConfirmed present · 6 independent sources
StonefishStonefishConfirmed present · 3 independent sources
LionfishLionfishConfirmed present · 3 independent sources
GrouperGrouperConfirmed present · 3 independent sources
Napoleon (humphead) wrasseNapoleon (humphead) wrasseConfirmed present · 5 independent sources
SeahorseSeahorseConfirmed present · 7 independent sources
UnicornfishUnicornfishConfirmed present · 3 independent sources
SurgeonfishSurgeonfishReported here · unconfirmed
Whale SharkRhincodon typusReported here · unconfirmed
ClownfishClownfishReported here · unconfirmed
Durable tips from divers — access, hazards, marine life, facilities. For day-of conditions, use the report tool in the conditions card above.
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