Woodhouse Reef

Drop into the blue along the eastern wall and let the current carry you north. The wall falls away steeply, covered in hard and soft corals. Between 20 and 25 metres, black coral colonies appear among the growth. Further along, the canyon opens up at around 25-30 metres, fanning out into a coral garden interspersed with sand alleys. A large red anemone here hosts Red Sea anemonefish. Sea turtles glide along the wall. Schools of jackfish and fusiliers pass in the blue.

The current builds as you approach the northern end. Guides time the drift to turn the dive before the channel between Woodhouse and Jackson, where colliding currents produce the washing machine effect. Most dives end with a gradual ascent along the shallower reef crest, deploying an SMB for pickup.

Woodhouse occupies the middle ground among Tiran's four reefs. Jackson to the north is the busiest, Thomas is the technical diver's canyon. Woodhouse is the long, narrow one in between. Its canyon is shallower than Thomas's, sitting at 25-30 metres rather than descending past 90, which places it within recreational limits. Black coral between 20 and 25 metres adds character to the wall that other Tiran sites lack at that depth range.

The reef stretches roughly one kilometre, the longest of the four. That length means a single drift covers more reef than at any other Tiran site. Fewer boats anchor here compared to Jackson, so the fish life along the wall is less disturbed. The washing machine zone at the northern end is a genuine feature, not a mild warning. Currents there shift unpredictably and have caught experienced divers off guard.

Woodhouse Reef is always a drift dive. The narrow profile means no boat can shelter alongside the reef, so entries and exits happen in open water. An SMB is essential. Nitrox is worth having for the canyon sections at 25-30 metres.

The site is typically dived as part of a Tiran day trip that includes one or two other reefs. Liveaboards from Sharm and Hurghada also include Tiran in their itineraries. A Tiran Island fee of approximately EUR15 per trip applies. Summer brings the best pelagic action but also the most boats. In winter, visibility can exceed 30 metres.