Gorgon 1 - Aqaba Marine Park

Gorgon 1 isn't Aqaba’s flashiest dive, but it's one of our favourite spots for a truly relaxed exploration. We love how the reef here just gently slopes away, making it easy to drift along and really take in the smaller details. You’ll often find us poking around the patches of staghorn and yellow scroll corals, where blennies - especially the smooth-fin and leopard varieties - are constantly darting in and out. Keep an eye out for banded cleaner shrimp setting up shop; their intricate little dance with passing fish is always captivating. The real joy of Gorgon 1 comes from its consistent, calm conditions. It’s ideal for photographers who want time to compose shots without battling current, or for newer divers building confidence. We’ve seen longtail silverbiddies schooling here, their scales catching the light, and even a rusty parrotfish crunching away at the coral, the sound surprisingly audible if you're still enough. While the larger stuff like whale sharks or dolphins are rarer visitors, the sheer density of reef fish - like rainbowfish and spottail coris - makes every dive feel productive. It's a gentle site, but full of quiet surprises if you just slow down and look.

Location: Aqaba Marine Park, Jordan, Red Sea & Middle East
Coordinates: 29.426193, 34.972122

Marine Protected Area: محمية العقبة البحرية

Best Time to Dive in Aqaba Marine Park

The warmest water temperatures in Aqaba Marine Park occur in August, averaging 27.2°C. The coolest conditions are in March at 20.5°C.

Monthly Water Temperatures

January: 21.9°C
February: 20.9°C
March: 20.5°C
April: 20.9°C
May: 22.7°C
June: 24.5°C
July: 25.8°C
August: 27.2°C
September: 26.7°C
October: 25.5°C
November: 24.5°C
December: 23.2°C

Nearby Dive Sites in Aqaba Marine Park

Nearest Dive Centres to Gorgon 1

Marine Life in Aqaba Marine Park

Home to 64 recorded species including 31 reef fish, 16 hard corals, 4 whales & dolphins, 2 clams & mussels, 2 sea snails & nudibranchs, 2 seagrass & algae.

Notable Species

Marbled Spinefoot (Siganus rivulatus) - Reef Fish
Lesser valley coral (Platygyra lamellina) - Hard Corals
Fluorescence grass coral (Galaxea fascicularis) - Hard Corals
Red lionfish (Pterois miles) - Reef Fish
Staghorn coral (Acropora eurystoma) - Hard Corals
Small giant clam (Tridacna maxima) - Clams & Mussels
Grey Dolphin (Grampus griseus) - Whales & Dolphins
Rock Cod (Epinephelus fasciatus) - Reef Fish
Snakefish (Trachinocephalus myops) - Reef Fish
Starflower coral (Astreopora myriophthalma) - Hard Corals
Klunzinger's wrasse (Thalassoma rueppellii) - Reef Fish
Red Squirrelfish (Sargocentron diadema) - Reef Fish
Staghorn coral (Acropora pharaonis) - Hard Corals
Banded Cleaner Shrimp (Stenopus hispidus) - Crabs & Lobsters
Spotted handfish (Brachionichthys hirsutus) - Reef Fish
Staghorn coral (Acropora hyacinthus) - Hard Corals
Blacktail Butterflyfish (Chaetodon austriacus) - Reef Fish
Diagonal Butterflyfish (Chaetodon fasciatus) - Reef Fish
Humpbacked conch (Gibberulus gibberulus) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
scad (Priacanthus hamrur) - Reef Fish

Recommended Packing List for Gorgon 1

Based on average water temperature of 23.7°C, currents 4 cm/s.

Wetsuit (3-5mm) - comfortable for 24°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