Daedalus & Elphinstone: July Trip Report from Port Ghalib

Seven nights from Port Ghalib to two of the most exposed reefs in the Egyptian Red Sea: Daedalus, a lone reef with a lighthouse far out in open water, and Elphinstone, a long finger of reef off Marsa Alam. July is hammerhead season at Daedalus, and that is what this trip is built around.

The trip in short

• Route: Port Ghalib, Daedalus Reef, Elphinstone, Port Ghalib
• Länge: 7 nights on board M/Y Aphrodite, round trip from Port Ghalib Marina
• Season: July, warm water and the best months for hammerheads at Daedalus
• Level: Advanced Open Water and at least 50 logged dives, required by the marine park rules for Daedalus
• Gas: Nitrox 32% free for certified divers, 12 L tanks included, 15 L for rent, trimix and stages on request

Daedalus

Daedalus is a single reef rising from deep water, with a stone lighthouse on top and nothing around it but open sea. There is no shelter, so the boat moors on the south side and every dive starts from the zodiacs. The north plateau is where you go for sharks: in summer, schools of scalloped hammerheads hang off the point in the blue, usually deeper and earlier in the day, and you watch them from the edge of the plateau, not by chasing into the blue. Grey reef sharks, silvertips and, on some days, a thresher or an oceanic whitetip turn up as well.

When the current allows, the walls are a dive of their own: huge gorgonians, black coral and soft coral, and on the south-west side the slope known as Anemone City, covered in anemones and their clownfish. Daedalus asks for good buoyancy and comfort with blue-water descents, a delayed SMB and attention to your gas, because the best things happen at the end of the plateau, far from the boat.

Elphinstone

Elphinstone is a narrow reef about 300 metres long, running north to south, with plateaus at both ends. The north plateau slopes gently from shallow water and is a good first dive here. The south plateau drops in steps into deep water, and below recreational depth lies the arch that gave the reef its legends. Along the walls: soft coral, big schools of fusiliers and barracuda, and grey reef sharks working the current.

Elphinstone is best known for oceanic whitetip sharks. They are most reliable from October to December, though they can be seen earlier in the year. When one is around, it often comes close to divers near the surface, so the briefing covers how to behave: stay in a group, stay vertical, keep eye contact and come up together.

Photos from the trip

Who this trip is for

Divers with Advanced Open Water and 50 logged dives who want sharks and big blue walls rather than coral gardens. Expect current, surface swell and zodiac entries and pick-ups. With three or four dives a day at depth, a Nitrox certification is worth having. The week also suits dive groups and clubs chartering the boat, since the short crossing from Port Ghalib leaves most of the time for diving.

Questions about Daedalus and Elphinstone

When is the best time to see hammerheads at Daedalus?

Summer, roughly June to August, with July often the peak. They are usually seen in the early morning off the north plateau. Wild animals keep no schedule, so these are good odds, not a promise.

When are oceanic whitetip sharks at Elphinstone?

Most reliably from October to December, sometimes earlier in the year.

What certification do I need for Daedalus?

Advanced Open Water and at least 50 logged dives. The marine park authority requires it, and the boat checks logbooks at boarding. SMB and dive computer are mandatory.

Where does the trip start?

At Port Ghalib Marina, near Marsa Alam airport. Transfers from Marsa Alam hotels and the airport are included.

How do I book the next departure?

Upcoming dates and free cabins are on the schedule. You book directly with the owners of the yacht, with no agent in between.

More about these reefs: Daedalus-Riff and Elphinstone.