Yolanda Reef - Sharm el-Sheikh
Yolanda Reef, part of the larger Ras Mohammed park, often comes as a second act to Shark Reef. The main draw, of course, is the wreckage of the Yolanda, a cargo ship that ran aground in the 70s, scattering its load of toilets, bathtubs, and sinks across the reef slope. It’s a bizarre sight, honestly, seeing all that porcelain among the corals. Look closely, and you'll spot everything from cowfish to the occasional banded maori wrasse poking around the debris. Currents here can be stiff, so it's a good drift dive for those comfortable with some movement.
- Location
- Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, Red Sea & Middle East
- Coordinates
- 27.724700, 34.258347
- Type
- reef
Marine Protected Area: محمية رأس محمد
Best Time to Dive in Sharm el-Sheikh
The warmest water temperatures in Sharm el-Sheikh occur in August, averaging 29.9°C. The coolest conditions are in March at 22.5°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 23.6°C
- February: 22.8°C
- March: 22.5°C
- April: 23.3°C
- May: 25.6°C
- June: 26.9°C
- July: 28.4°C
- August: 29.9°C
- September: 28.6°C
- October: 27.8°C
- November: 27.1°C
- December: 25.3°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Sharm el-Sheikh
- Amphoras - 20m
- Anemone City (reef)
- AYIA VARVARA - 5m (wreck)
- Barge de Gubal (wreck)
- Beacon Rock
- Black Pearl - Red Sea
- Bluff Point
- Camel Dive Club & Hotel
- CSCL HAMBURG - 0m (wreck)
- Diving Centre - 5-15m (reef)
- Dunraven (wreck)
- DUNRAVEN - 30m (wreck)
- Dunraven Wreck (wreck)
- EMPEROR FRASER - 30m (wreck)
- Far Garden - 10-25m (reef)
Nearest Dive Centres to Yolanda Reef
Marine Life in Sharm el-Sheikh
Home to 13 recorded species including 6 whales & dolphins, 5 reef fish, 1 sharks & rays, 1 crabs & lobsters.
Notable Species
- Indian Ocean bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops aduncus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Grey Dolphin (Grampus griseus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Bridled Dolphin (Stenella attenuata) - Whales & Dolphins
- Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus) - Sharks & Rays
- Cowfish (Tursiops truncatus) - Whales & Dolphins
- White Dolphin (Sousa chinensis) - Whales & Dolphins
- Blacktail Butterflyfish (Chaetodon austriacus) - Reef Fish
- Long-beaked Dolphin (Stenella longirostris) - Whales & Dolphins
- Rock Cod (Epinephelus fasciatus) - Reef Fish
- Indian Scad (Decapterus russelli) - Reef Fish
- Banded Cleaner Shrimp (Stenopus hispidus) - Crabs & Lobsters
- Diagonal Butterflyfish (Chaetodon fasciatus) - Reef Fish
- Bullethead Parrotfish (Chlorurus sordidus) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Yolanda Reef
Based on average water temperature of 26.0°C, currents 10 cm/s.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 26°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