Jackson reef

Jackson Reef is the northernmost and most famous of the four legendary Strait of Tiran reefs, sitting at the narrowest point of the strait between the Sinai Peninsula and Saudi Arabia's Tiran Island. Its position in the main Red Sea current funnel makes it one of the world's premier pelagic dive sites — home to resident grey reef sharks, seasonal hammerhead schools, and a year-round procession of tuna, barracuda, and giant trevally that patrol its walls. The reef is identifiable above water by the wreck of the Lara, a Cypriot cargo ship stranded on its northern edge in 1982 whose rusting hull has become a navigational landmark. Below water, Jackson offers three distinct dive profiles: the north corner (Hammerhead Point) for pelagic drift dives, the east wall for current-driven wall diving, and the sheltered southern Coral Garden for relaxed reef exploration. Coral quality is outstanding. The reef's exposure to constant current delivers nutrients that sustain dense colonies of hard and soft corals, gorgonian fans, and black coral bushes. Marine life includes resident Napoleon wrasse, giant moray eels, anemone cities with thriving clownfish populations, and on the walls, grey reef sharks, silvertip sharks, and seasonal oceanic whitetips. The famous scalloped hammerhead schools appear from May through September on the north plateau at depths of 25-40 meters. Jackson is an advanced dive with strong currents, but sheltered corners are accessible to Open Water divers with good buoyancy. Reached by day boat from Sharm el-Sheikh on the classic Tiran itinerary (typically combining Jackson, Thomas, Woodhouse, and Gordon reefs), the site can also be visited from liveaboards. Best hammerhead season runs June through September; year-round diving delivers excellent coral and reef fish encounters.