Farasan Banks & Al Lith · Saudi Arabia · Reef · Wall

Long Reef (South)

A huge gorgonian at 35 m on the longest reef off Al Lith

Long Reef is the longest reef in the Al Lith region, 55 km out from the beach, and this site is its southern reef. The worked ground runs between 35 m and 25 m with declines everywhere, while the east and west sides fall away to 70-80 m. A huge gorgonian stands at 35 m, and grey reef sharks hold on the deep decline when the current is strong.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Long Reef (South): typical dive 25–35 m (82–115 ft), deepest point 80 m (262 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit25 m35 m80 m maxtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 90 m (295 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

19.4585° N, 39.8915° EPublished position for this site.

The dive

The reef is a single long body of coral and the dive takes a section at its southern end. The east and west flanks both drop away to 70-80 m, so whichever side the crew picks you are working an edge with open water beneath you, and the reef declines in every direction off the top, which makes depth easy to gain without meaning to. The profile runs from 35 m back up to 25 m.

The set piece is a single huge gorgonian at 35 m, which is the reason to start deep and work shallow rather than the other way round. From there the dive comes up onto the 25 m band, where soft and hard corals cover the reef. When the current is running strong, grey reef sharks hold on the deep decline off the side, so the open water below the edge is worth watching for as long as you are down there.

Marine life and season

  • Reef sharks
Month-by-month season rating for Long Reef (South)
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
GoodGoodPrimePrimePrimeFairFairFairFairGoodGoodGood

Season follows Farasan Banks & Al Lith: Whale sharks aggregate at Shib Habil Mar–May; midsummer surface temperatures above 40°C make the region impractical.

Know before you go

  • Current strength varies and the reef's flanks fall to 70-80 m, so the deep gorgonian at 35 m is easy to overrun; agree the maximum depth and the turn point before entry.

Questions divers ask

How deep do you dive Long Reef South?+

The dive works between 35 m and 25 m. The large gorgonian sits at 35 m and the shallower corals at around 25 m, while the east and west flanks of the reef carry declines to 70-80 m below the profile.

Are there sharks at Long Reef South?+

Grey reef sharks are reported on the deep decline off the side of the reef when the current is strong. They are down off the edge rather than up on the coral, so the sightings come from watching the open water below the reef.

Sources

  1. Long Reef (South) dive site — Scubago

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