The fourth day of diving was back at Daedalus with the same objective: to spot hammerheads. This day didn't prove to be as successful as we had hoped under the water as we only saw one shark from the distance. We mixed it up for the third dive, opting for a dive location on the island's other side known for an anemone garden and a 15 meter long, egg-shaped coral formation. The wall was abundant with colorful coral and small critters. We were bummed to find out that the other diver group, on the same site 20 mins earlier, saw a school of 10+ hammerhead sharks.
On the surface, between dives, we popped out of our suite as several people were yelling "shark"! An oceanic whitetip (aka longimanus) was swimming near the boat, surrounded by a group of pilot fish. While slightly smaller than the hammerhead, the oceanic is bigger in girth and typically hunts near the surface. It's a species that makes one think twice before hopping in the water, although attacks on humans are still quite rare.
After the third dive, we piled in the zodiaks (dinghies) to check out the lighthouse. The part of the island above surface isn't more than 100 meters across, but shallow coral reef extends much further so that a long dock is needed for visiting boats. The lighthouse is manned year-round by two Egyptian Navy officers who make a little money on the side by allowing visitors and selling t-shirts. We climbed to the top for some cool views of the reef and moored liveaboards.Read more
Red Sea 24°57’0” N 35°49’60” E
Red Sea 24°57’0” N 35°49’60” E