Reefwander
Sandy point and watchtower along Hurghada's turquoise Red Sea shoreline

Hurghada & El Gouna · Egypt · Wall · Pinnacle

Erg Somaya

A chimney at the northeast corner of the erg

Area photo: Tanya Dedyukhina · CC BY 3.0

Erg Somaya is a wall and erg east of Small Giftun, off Hurghada, where open-water fish gather along a vertical face. Currents can be strong, and the deeper sections call for some experience, which makes it a dive for those with good control of their buoyancy.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Erg Somaya: typical dive to 30 m (to 100 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit30 mtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 40 m (130 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

No published position for this site — the map shows Hurghada & El Gouna and its other sites; operators know the mooring.

The dive

The dive enters at 30 m and exits at 22 m along a vertical wall that spans out into a shelf with an erg, reaching up to 5 m below the surface. A chimney sits at the northeast corner, and barracuda, snapper, jackfish and tuna are the common swimmers off the wall.

Marine life and season

  • Barracuda
  • Trevally & jacks
  • Tuna
Month-by-month season rating for Erg Somaya
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Season follows Hurghada & El Gouna: Diving runs all year; the seas settle from March to November and are calmest in summer, while February brings the coolest water.

Know before you go

  • Currents can be strong, and good buoyancy control is needed.

Dive videos

Hassan & Dmitry's Excellent Dive on Erg Somaya · redseadiscovery on YouTube

Sources

  1. Erg Somaya - Egypt Divers — Egypt Divers

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