The Red Sea: A Surprising Dive Destination

Ask any European diver what his favorite destination is, and he’ll likely say the Red Sea. That’s ­because its close-to-home sites are famed for their mind-boggling ­concentration of marine life, one of the planet’s richest marine ­ecosystems in a sea that’s bordered on three sides by desert.

A Divers Guide To: The Red Sea

**Average water temp: **low 70s in winter to low 80s in summer

What to wear: 7 mm wetsuit in winter; 3 mm wetsuit or dive skin in summer

**Average viz: **100 feet, except during occasional plankton blooms

When to go: The Red Sea is good year-round

More Info: sportdiver.com/destinations/red-sea

Main Attractions:

Rosalie Moller: This 360-foot former cargo vessel is deep — the dive starts at 100 feet — but the wreck is ­smothered in marine life, including ­silversides, glassfish, jacks and trevally.

Abu Nuhas: A number of ­vessels have run aground on the Abu Nuhas seamount in the Straits of Gubal at the southern end of the Gulf of Suez — you can dive the Giannis D, Carnatic and ­Chrisoula K, among others.

Jackson, Woodhouse, Thomas and Gordon Reefs: These four reefs line the entrance — the Straits of Tiran — that leads to the Gulf of Aqaba. Strong currents bring barracuda, tuna and sharks.

Dunraven: Located off Ras Mohamed, this former English steamer is covered in coral.

Before You Go:

**PADI Wreck Diver: **To fully explore Red Sea wrecks, take this course to be prepared. Go to padi.com.