Hamata & Wadi Lahami · Egypt · Reef · Wall
Siyle Island
A walkable island with a wall at about 24 m
Area photo: Derek Keats · CC BY 2.0
Siyle Island is a small island off Hamata, known to the boats as Maldive Island or White Sand, with a reef of good coral and a wall at an average depth of about 24 m. It is sheltered enough to reach when the weather rules out the outer reefs, and boats can put people ashore, so a surface interval here can be spent walking on the island.
Also known as Maldive Island, White Sand Island, Hamata Island.
Where it is and how deep
24.2426° N, 35.4172° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
The dive follows the island's reef and the wall that runs along it, at an average depth of about 24 m: one sensible level to hold, with coral above you and the drop below. The coral cover is good along its length, and because the island is small the reef can be worked at a steady pace rather than rushed to fit it all into a single dive.
The island earns its place on days when the outer reefs are unworkable: it is sheltered enough to dive in bad weather, which makes it the fallback when the long offshore runs are called off. Boats can put people ashore here too, so the surface interval is spent on the island rather than on deck. Napoleon wrasse are on the reef, along with lionfish, clownfish, scorpionfish, triggerfish, anthias, boxfish and surgeonfish.
Marine life and season
- Napoleon wrasse
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair |
Season follows Hamata & Wadi Lahami: May to October is the calm window, with much less wind; diving runs all year, but sea state is wind-driven and can reroute a day.
Sources
- Siyle Island - Scubago — Scubago
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Coral blocks and small caves over sand at 18 m
Similar dives elsewhere
Black coral below 20 m on a slope you walk into from the beach
Coral canyons to 16 m, then a wall that keeps dropping
Beach-entry house reef at 5 to 20 m, outer drop-off past 60 m
Reef slope, a plateau at 22 m, then a wall to about 70 m