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Perhaps one of the most incredible places I have ever dived. <3

From Egypt, Elphinstone Reef is 12km offshore in the Red Sea. The reef itself is a subterranean mountain; 300 metres long but only 20-40 metres wide. The middle section of the reef can usually be seen from the surface as it lies barely concealed below the waves at a depth of just 1-2 metres. However the reef descends down at both north and south to around 40 metres, and either side, the sheer cliffs drop off to depths of over 100m. No one has ever known quite how deep the surrounding waters are...

Because of its location in the open seas, and its ridiculously strong and ever changing currents, this is a dive site open to only highly experienced advanced divers, with at least 50 previous dives under their belt.

Of course, I wasn't interested in diving there simply because it is a famous reef.

No, I wanted to go there for the sharks.

See, Elphinstone is most famous for two critically endangered species - the oceanic whitetip, and the hammerhead. The latter of which, I was desparate to see.




After dropping into the water from the zodiac, all you can see is blue. Sure, you know which way is up, but beneath you? Blue. Just blue. Endless blue. You could barely make out the reef. After decending 30 metres down, four absolutely stunning scalloped hammerheads came into view. They circled around for what felt like a lifetime. Keeping their distance, but checking us out all the same.

Those memories will stay with me until the day I die.

It still baffles me, you know. How can people hate these creatures so much?

Our oceans depend on these animals.

Want to know something more terrifying than an ocean with sharks?

Imagine our oceans without them.

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Referenced from photographs I took on our dive - let me know if you want to see them!