Satellite Reef

Satellite Reef is a small, lesser-known dive site beyond Yolanda Reef in the North Red Sea, offering an unforgettable underwater experience for divers. Here’s everything you need to know to explore this hidden gem.

Starting from Shark Reef, divers can drift towards Yolanda Reef, twin mountain-like peaks rising from a sandy sea bed. Beyond Yolanda Reef lies Satellite Reef, featuring a sheer, vertical wall illuminated by swarms of orange and purple anthias, and black and white pullers dancing around purple and orange soft coral trees. The shallower western side of the reef hosts thousands of jackfish, batfish, stingrays, giant moray eels, and lyretail hogfish, making it a must-visit site for marine life enthusiasts.

One of the highlights of the dive is the wreckage of the Yolanda, which sank in the 70s and now rests on the shallow reef. Its cargo of British standard toilets, bathtubs, and pipe tubes has become an amusing and unexpected attraction for divers. Be aware of fire coral, which can cause a stinging sensation, especially if you’re wearing a shorty.

Satellite Reef is in close proximity to Anemone City, a bustling area of reef north of Shark Reef. The morning is the best time to dive here, with prolific anemones harboring a permanent population of anemonefish, creating a truly cosmopolitan feel.

In conclusion, Satellite Reef is a hidden gem that offers stunning underwater scenery, unexpected sights, and a variety of marine life. If you’re planning to visit North Red Sea for a dive, make sure to add Satellite Reef to your itinerary for an enchanting experience that you’ll never forget.