Corals represent certainly the biggest attraction
of the underwater world of Sharm el Sheikh, their diversity and explosion of colours
convert the dive sites into a real paradise all year round for which Sharm el
Sheikh has gained world wide reputation. Hard corals (Madreporaria) represent
the structure on which the reef develops over time.
table coral
taken from "Spiegami il Mare", G.Melchiore, F. Casarotti
fire coral
Fan corals, soft corals, leather corals...
the reefs of Sharm el Sheikh teem of life. Take your time to admire the transparency
of an alcyonarian … discover how the light is penetrating as if it was made
out of glass. There are countless different species and some walls are literally
covered by soft corals.
fan corals
soft coral
detail
Nudibranches, crinoids and sea stars are covering
the whole barrier reef and their colourful appearance make them small jewels of
nature.
echinoderms
Detail nudbranch
photo by Mirko Albertazzi
Colourful reef fish like anthias and fusiliers
for instance give the coral reef a never ending vivacity the whole year over.
Napoleon wrasses, soldierfish and butterflyfish are almost always present.
napoleon wrasse
photo by Mirko Albertazzi
photo by Mirko Albertazzi
The arrival of the bigger predators depends
on the season, but you can encounter resident grey reef sharks, eagle rays and
timid white tip reef sharks even in the winter. There are many different species
of sharks, but with some luck…
