Tobia Arbaa

Coral pillars stand on a sandy bottom, and the dive is the route between them. From the south slope where boats moor, you work outward across the sand from one peak to the next. Light reaches the tops, so the coral stays bright, and glassfish and anthias gather around the towers with lionfish hunting among them. Sea fans hang from the overhangs. Between towers the sand is open, and that is where crocodilefish and large black-spotted pufferfish sit in perfect camouflage, so each crossing is a slow search.

The pillars rise from open sand to almost the surface, which gives the site two habitats a few fin strokes apart: bright coral towers crowded with small schooling fish, and bare sand hiding some of the reef's best-camouflaged residents. The site is reportedly sheltered in the lee of Ras Abu Soma, with a short run from Soma Bay. One experienced visiting diver rated it among the best pillar reefs they had dived, for the density and variety of fish.

Dive guides single the site out for wide-angle work, and napoleon wrasse are reported posing in front of the lens. Shallow water and good light suit a slow circuit of two or three towers. Nudibranchs give macro subjects, and the site is described as perfect for night diving.

Current is reported anywhere from none to moderate, so listen for it at the briefing. The coral is fragile and the site rule is no contact with marine life. Hover over the sand between the towers and never kneel on it, because some of what lies there is nearly invisible.