Gota Soghayr lies 4 km east of Umm Arouk and 3.4 km west of her big sister, Gota Kebira. The reef is relatively small with a diameter of only up to 200 m, providing little shelter during rough seas. It is therefore not possible to moor here overnight. The site is mostly used for early morning dives or dives during the daytime since night dives are too dangerous here. Although several boats often moor at the reef at the same time, the diving groups spread out nicely across the entire site making crowds an exception.
The walls A of the egg-shaped reef plunge from the surface to a depth of more than 70 m before passing over some sandy slopes and disappearing into the deep blue of the sea. They are abundantly covered with corals, sponges and also some sea fans A, more of which grow in groups starting from a depth of 40 m A. At the western side, the rocks form overhangs at a depth of 10 m, in which groupers and other shy marine creatures shelter. Furthermore, a small cave opening A shaped like a dome, which extends a few metres into the reef, is also found at this depth, while below the moorings 1 to the south a small coral garden A, ideal for the safety stop, is found at 5 m.
The dives at the site take place in the midst of shoals of snappers, cornetfish and barracudas with perhaps even a white or blacktip shark swimming about. Oceanic whitetip sharks sometimes gather below the moorings
Although the diving conditions here are generally good, the site is unsuitable for beginners because of its depth. Moderate currents do often flow here, but strong currents are rare. To the south of the reef, you must sometimes take circulations in the current into account, which can be annoying, especially when swimming back to the boat.
Gota Soghayr lies 4 km east of Umm Arouk and 3.4 km west of her big sister, Gota Kebira. The reef is relatively small with a diameter of only up to 200 m, providing little shelter during rough seas. It is therefore not possible to moor here overnight. The site is mostly used for early morning dives or dives during the daytime since night dives are too dangerous here. Although several boats often moor at the reef at the same time, the diving groups spread out nicely across the entire site making crowds an exception.
The walls A of the egg-shaped reef plunge from the surface to a depth of more than 70 m before passing over some sandy slopes and disappearing into the deep blue of the sea. They are abundantly covered with corals, sponges and also some sea fans A, more of which grow in groups starting from a depth of 40 m A. At the western side, the rocks form overhangs at a depth of 10 m, in which groupers and other shy marine creatures shelter. Furthermore, a small cave opening A shaped like a dome, which extends a few metres into the reef, is also found at this depth, while below the moorings 1 to the south a small coral garden A, ideal for the safety stop, is found at 5 m.
The dives at the site take place in the midst of shoals of snappers, cornetfish and barracudas with perhaps even a white or blacktip shark swimming about. Oceanic whitetip sharks sometimes gather below the moorings
Although the diving conditions here are generally good, the site is unsuitable for beginners because of its depth. Moderate currents do often flow here, but strong currents are rare. To the south of the reef, you must sometimes take circulations in the current into account, which can be annoying, especially when swimming back to the boat.
