SIR MICHAEL - Gulf of Tadjoura
The Sir Michael sits upright, just a few metres below the surface, its superstructure breaking the waves. This bulk carrier, grounded in '98, is now completely colonised by coral, making it a proper wreck-reef hybrid. You'll spend your dive weaving through the upper decks, spotting clouds of anthias and parrotfish grazing on the hull. It’s an easy, colourful dive, perfect for photographers or anyone keen to explore a large wreck without needing deep diving skills. We've seen turtles napping in the sheltered sections too.
- Location
- Gulf of Tadjoura, Djibouti, Red Sea & Middle East
- Coordinates
- 12.939484, 43.053482
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 8m
Best Time to Dive in Gulf of Tadjoura
The warmest water temperatures in Gulf of Tadjoura occur in January, averaging 26.9°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 26.9°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 26.9°C (air: 24.8°C)
- February: 26.9°C (air: 25.3°C)
- March: 26.9°C (air: 26.9°C)
- April: 26.9°C (air: 28.9°C)
- May: 26.9°C (air: 32.5°C)
- June: 26.9°C (air: 35.7°C)
- July: 26.9°C (air: 36.4°C)
- August: 26.9°C (air: 34.9°C)
- September: 26.9°C (air: 34.5°C)
- October: 26.9°C (air: 30.2°C)
- November: 26.9°C (air: 27.2°C)
- December: 26.9°C (air: 25.5°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in Gulf of Tadjoura
- AL SAID - 29m (wreck)
- ARCHON RAPHAEL - 18m (wreck)
- Arta Beach - 5-20m
- Banc de La Clocheterie (reef)
- Banc de la Pointe Noire (reef)
- Banc des Salines (reef)
- Banc du Héron (reef)
- Banc du Pingouin (reef)
- Banc Gutta Tella (reef)
- Banc Moidubis Kebir (reef)
- Banc Moidubis Seghir (reef)
- Banc Ousal (reef)
- FONTAINEBLEU - 0m (wreck)
- GHINDA (POSSIBLY) - 0m (wreck)
- Ghoubet al-Kharab
Marine Life in Gulf of Tadjoura
Home to 205 recorded species including 95 hard corals, 75 reef fish, 8 sharks & rays, 6 crabs & lobsters, 5 sea cucumbers, 4 sea snails & nudibranchs.
Notable Species
- Angelfish (Pygoplites diacanthus) - Reef Fish
- Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus) - Sharks & Rays
- Blacktip shark (Carcharhinus limbatus) - Sharks & Rays
- Halfspotted Hind (Cephalopholis hemistiktos) - Reef Fish
- Longfin Bannerfish (Heniochus acuminatus) - Reef Fish
- Blacktip reef shark (Carcharhinus melanopterus) - Sharks & Rays
- Wrasse (Thalassoma lunare) - Reef Fish
- Sailfish (Istiophorus platypterus) - Reef Fish
- Bottleneck Sea Cucumber (Holothuria (Thymiosycia) impatiens) - Sea Cucumbers
- Ehrenberg's snapper (Lutjanus ehrenbergii) - Reef Fish
- Sea Scorpion (Scorpaena porcus) - Reef Fish
- Sand-dusted Cone (Conus arenatus) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
- Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas)
- Brown-spotted Grouper (Epinephelus chlorostigma) - Reef Fish
- Staghorn coral (Acropora donei) - Hard Corals
- Blue-dashed Rockskipper (Blenniella periophthalmus) - Reef Fish
- Edgeblack Grouper (Epinephelus summana) - Reef Fish
- Black triggerfish (Odonus niger) - Reef Fish
- Small-eyed Squirrelfish (Myripristis murdjan) - Reef Fish
- Coral hind (Cephalopholis miniata) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for SIR MICHAEL
Based on average water temperature of 26.9°C.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 27°C water needs minimal exposure protection
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories