Abu Ramada
is as island situated to the south from Giftun National Park. It offers many diving sites – eastern wall is divided into Abu Ramada South and Abu Ramada North. Moreover, between there are Erg Abu Ramada and Abu Ramada Cave. In the description below we will focus on the most popular part, Abu Ramada South. It offers perfect conditions for both advanced divers as well as for practicing during the course (for example practicing multilevel divers). Apart from amazing flora and fauna we can find here also wreck of a safari boat witch burned down years ago and settled on the fact the reef is an island it is very well secured, even during most inconvenient weather, from the wind and the waves.
Dive route:
When mooring at the neighborhood of the wreck the depth under the boat reaching 12 m. We start our dive tour heading north (unless the current will be from the south) and dive over the garden among many ergs. The ergs are growing from flat table-like sandy bottom giving an amazing impression of a moon landscape. After a while, about 30 m from wall of the reef, at 14 m of depth, we can admire a colony of Sand Eels. We turn back and head towards the mooring keeping the reef on the left hand side. When reaching the curve we can expect to run into a big Moray Eal which lives in this area in one of the big holes. Afterwards, while keeping the depth of 5 m, we head towards the wreck to make our safety stop here. The wreck is an old safari boat, which burned down from the spark in the accumulator. Only the hull, part of the engine and some steel sheds is all that is left of this grand once boat.
Flora & fauna:
Additionally to the Moray Eel of a significant size one can often spot here Eagle Rays as well as small Leopard Shark. The fish variety here consists of many Stone and Scorpion Fish, Crocodile Fish and also hundreds of Basslets living in the ergs covered with soft corals. Sand Eels are giving sensational show when dancing on the sandy bottom. You can also find on the bottom plenty of Gobies and Partner Shrimps. Around July one should watch out on Trigger Fish which attack everyone who even looks in the direction of their nest where they laid their eggs.
Depth: from 5 m to 30 m
(click to enlarge)