Marsa Egla - Deep South
Phantasea Dome is where the Somosomo Strait truly shows off. Forget one lonely pinnacle, here you get a cluster of four, rising like rocky knuckles from the sandy seafloor. Our favourite, the "dome" itself, is covered in potato coral, big brainy mounds that really make you feel like you're exploring some alien landscape. We love dropping in on an outgoing tide here; that's when the fusiliers mass so thick they can literally dim the light, a silver river flowing past you. Keep an eye out for the small stuff, too. We’ve spotted bluestripe pipefish tucked into crannies, and those flashy flasher scorpionfish, masters of camouflage. The maximum depth is 19m, so it’s a site that gives you plenty of bottom time, letting you really explore the nooks and crannies. You might even catch a glimpse of giant trevally cruising past, a reminder of the bigger hunters in these waters. This site is perfect for divers who appreciate both the wide-angle schools and the macro details. It’s got that vibrant, healthy reef feel, but with enough architectural interest from the pinnacles to make every swim-through a discovery.
- Location
- Deep South, Egypt, Red Sea & Middle East
- Coordinates
- 25.172600, 34.842200
- Type
- reef
Best Time to Dive in Deep South
The warmest water temperatures in Deep South occur in January, averaging 22.7°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 22.7°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 22.7°C (air: 19.1°C)
- February: 22.7°C (air: 19.5°C)
- March: 22.7°C (air: 22.3°C)
- April: 22.7°C (air: 26.3°C)
- May: 22.7°C (air: 29.7°C)
- June: 22.7°C (air: 32.9°C)
- July: 22.7°C (air: 33.7°C)
- August: 22.7°C (air: 34.1°C)
- September: 22.7°C (air: 32.6°C)
- October: 22.7°C (air: 28.5°C)
- November: 22.7°C (air: 24.5°C)
- December: 22.7°C (air: 21.4°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in Deep South
- Abu Dabab Garden - 18m (reef)
- Abu Dabab II - 16m (reef)
- Abu Dabab III - 17m (reef)
- Abu Dabab IV - 19m
- Abu Dabab South - 16m (reef)
- Abu Dabab V - 17m
- Abu Dabab VI - 19m (reef)
- Abu Dabbab
- Abu Dabour - 22m (reef)
- Abu Nawas Garden - 20m (reef)
- Abu Saile - 23m (reef)
- Coral Garden Ghalib - 18m (reef)
- Elphinstone Reef - 29m (reef)
- Elphinstone South - 29m
- El Wezer - 21m (reef)
Nearest Dive Centres to Marsa Egla
Marine Life in Deep South
Home to 63 recorded species including 30 reef fish, 10 seagrass & algae, 8 whales & dolphins, 6 hard corals, 4 sea snails & nudibranchs, 3 sharks & rays.
Notable Species
- Long-beaked Dolphin (Stenella longirostris) - Whales & Dolphins
- Indian Ocean bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops aduncus) - Whales & Dolphins
- thalassia (Thalassia hemprichii) - Seagrass & Algae
- Cowfish (Tursiops truncatus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Species code: Hs (Halophila stipulacea) - Seagrass & Algae
- Bridled Dolphin (Stenella attenuata) - Whales & Dolphins
- seagrass (Halophila ovalis) - Seagrass & Algae
- cymodocea (Cymodocea rotundata) - Seagrass & Algae
- halodule (Halodule uninervis) - Seagrass & Algae
- Species code: Hp (Halodule pinifolia) - Seagrass & Algae
- Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus) - Sharks & Rays
- Paddle Grass (Halophila decipiens) - Seagrass & Algae
- Black rock pipefish (Phoxocampus belcheri) - Reef Fish
- Brown Frillfin (Bathygobius fuscus) - Reef Fish
- Branched sandpaper coral (Psammocora contigua) - Hard Corals
- Duncker's pipefish (Halicampus dunckeri) - Reef Fish
- Grey Dolphin (Grampus griseus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Indian Scad (Decapterus russelli) - Reef Fish
- False killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens) - Whales & Dolphins
- Small giant clam (Tridacna maxima) - Clams & Mussels
Recommended Packing List for Marsa Egla
Based on average water temperature of 22.7°C.
- Wetsuit (3-5mm) - comfortable for 23°C water
- 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