Dive site guide · Offshore reefs & wrecks · Wall
Elphinstone Reef — dive site guide
Also known as Sha'ab Abu Hamra, Abu Hamra, Shabrour Shagra
Elphinstone Reef is a reef wall at Elphinstone Reef off Marsa Alam, reached by liveaboard. Published dive guides record a maximum of about 60 m — its deeper parts are beyond recreational limits. Independent guides rate it advanced, where strong currents are reported. Regularly reported life includes giant trevally, great barracuda and reef sharks. Its position is confirmed by independent sources.
Documented site depths are not a recommended dive depth. Your dive plan stays within your certification limit and takes account of conditions and experience. Read our safety information.
How deep does it go?
Some sources give depths of 70 m — the bottom beyond the reef, not a recreational dive depth. Documented maximum depths vary between sources: 40 m, 60 m.
What's the underwater landscape like?
Sources describe north plateau, south plateau, two walls and ~100 m wide plateaus 20-40 m at both tips.
- Plateau
- Overhangs
What marine life can you see?
Regularly seen: Giant trevally, great barracuda, reef sharks, soft corals, whitetip and blacktip reef sharks at south end.
Occasional or seasonal — never guaranteed: Oceanic whitetip, south plateau — seasonal, hammerheads — elusive and hammerheads rare.
Who can dive it?
Suitable for: Advanced
Safety: 2007: group swept away by current, four divers missing. 2022 fatality recovered from 60 m (tiger shark present); reef briefly closed.
How is it dived?
North plateau: drop further north and drift onto finger-shaped plateau. With N→S current: RIB drop at north, drift E or W side to south plateau where liveaboards moor.
Season: oceanic whitetips Oct–end Dec
How do we protect it?
Treated as a marine park on BDE routes (no night dives).
Nearby dive sites
How do you dive Elphinstone Reef with us?
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Liveaboard · 7 nights
Brothers · Daedalus · Elphinstone
from €1,340 per person, twin cabin
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Day trip by road
A day trip by road from Hurghada
Dived as a day trip with a road transfer from Hurghada — ask us for the price and pickup time.
Plan it with us
Check dates for Elphinstone Reef
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