El Quseir · Egypt · Sand slope · Coral garden · Reef
Abu Sawatyr
Sandy bay sloping to 40 m between coral gardens that reach 30 m
Area photo: Michele Gardini · CC BY-SA 3.0
Abu Sawatyr is a bay with a sandy entry where the sand bottom slopes gently down to 40 m, with coral gardens on both sides reaching 30 m. It is a shore dive, and a rope is used to help with the entry and exit when there is current. Big moray eels and napoleon wrasse are listed for the site, with dolphins, eagle rays and sharks possible with some luck.
Where it is and how deep
26.2059° N, 34.2209° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
You walk in over sand, and if there is any current you do it using the rope that is there for the entry and exit. From the shallows the sandy bottom slopes slowly and steadily away, and it does not stop until 40 m, so the site sets no floor for you: pick a maximum and keep to it. The sand itself is the middle of the dive; the interest is on either side of it, where coral gardens flank the bay down to 30 m.
The coral gardens on either side are where to spend the dive, and their ledges and holes are where to look for the big moray eels listed for the site. Napoleon wrasse are listed too, and with some luck dolphins, eagle rays or sharks show up over the sand or off the edge of the gardens. Finish back at the sandy entry, and take the rope again on the way out if the current has picked up while you were down.
Marine life and season
- Napoleon wrasse
- Dolphins
- Eagle rays
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair |
Season follows El Quseir: Sheltered shore dives, so the winter wind that disrupts boat schedules from October to April matters less; water falls to 23 °C by February and peaks near 30 °C in late summer.
Know before you go
- Current can run across the sandy entry and exit; a rope is there to help, so use it rather than fighting the water on the way in or out.
- The sand slopes without a break to 40 m; agree a maximum depth before the dive and check the gauge often, as a gentle slope makes depth creep easy to miss.
Questions divers ask
How deep is Abu Sawatyr?+
The sandy bottom slopes slowly down to 40 m, and the coral gardens on either side of the bay reach 30 m. The entry itself is shallow, over sand.
Sources
- Abu Sawatyr dive site — Scubago
More dive sites in El Quseir
Coral garden
Hole-in-the-roof entry to coral blocks rising from 10 to 40 m to the surface
Jetty-entry wall to 40 m dived for tuna, dolphins and passing whale sharks
Coral garden
Sheltered bay with a coral garden and a wall, listed to 30 m, only light current
Cave & cavern
Rope-marked route through reef canyons and caves to 30 m
Similar dives elsewhere
A gentle 6-metre shelf that slopes on down to 30
Garden eels standing in the sand a few fin-kicks from the entry
A single large block at 14 metres, loaded with small life
A coral block packed with glassfish and bannerfish