General Information Gota Hamera lies on the western edge of St. John’s reefs just 15 km off the Egyptian coast. The crescent-shaped reef measures 410 m at its longest and therefore provides sufficient shelter to moor at overnight along its southern side. It is rarely frequented since it lies off the usual routes—Umm Arouk in the centre of St. John’s reefs is 20 km away or about 50 minutes by boat. You can, therefore, enjoy its underwater scenery in
The reef is surrounded on all sides by a sandy slope A that descends to a depth of over 100 m, where corals and fish are scarce. Furthermore, despite the rumours, we have been unable to confirm the sightings of hammerhead sharks to the north and east. Although you could dive along the walls to a depth of over 30 m, we recommend staying within the more interesting inlet A to the southwest with an average depth of 10 m, where diving is easy, though stirred up sand may at times affect the visibility. The arouks rising from the sandy seabed also make it somewhat difficult for liveaboards to moor here.
At the southern tip, a large coral garden A inhabited by fusiliers extends from the reef flat to a depth of 16 m, and the inner reef wall to the north is lined with small recesses a, which are too small to enter. To the south, the reef is often interrupted by coral formations A A, which provide a chance to make great photos in the shallows. Moreover, Gota Hamera is altogether excellent for night dives and much marine life can be found in its walls in the dark.
