Farewell Reef

The southernmost reef on many Fury Shoals itineraries — a fitting final dive site that combines a hard coral garden, sandy corridor navigation, and the memorable open-ocean character of the Fury Shoals system before the long sail north.

Overview

Farewell Reef sits at approximately 24.21°N, 35.56°E in the Fury Shoals complex south of Marsa Alam. Its name accurately describes its function on most itineraries: this is where liveaboards and extended day trips typically complete their Fury Shoals diving before heading back north. Despite the casual connotation, the reef is not a consolation dive — it offers the same clear water and pristine coral characteristics of the broader Fury Shoals system, with a layout well-suited to a final exploratory dive of the area. The reef complex consists of coral structures with sandy corridors between them, providing a navigable diving environment.

Site Information

• Location: Fury Shoals, southern Egyptian Red Sea (~24.21°N, 35.56°E)
• Entry Type: Boat dive
• Site Type: Reef
• Difficulty Level: Intermediate
• Maximum Depth: 20 meters
• Typical Visibility: 20–30 meters
• Current: Mild to moderate
• Best Time: October to May

Marine Life

The hard coral gardens of Farewell Reef are dense and healthy — table corals and brain corals in excellent condition. Grey reef sharks are occasionally sighted on the outer slope. Hawksbill turtles rest on the reef platform and are reliably encountered. The sandy corridors between reef structures hold blue-spotted stingrays. Moray eels and groupers in the reef crevices throughout. Schools of fusiliers and anthias over the reef crest. The undisturbed nature of the site means fish approach more closely than at heavily trafficked northern sites.

Dive Profile

Begin on the outer reef slope at 12–18 metres and work inward through the sandy corridors between reef structures. The navigation through the coral garden is the defining character of this dive — use the reef structures as reference points. Ascend to the upper reef crest at 5–8 metres for the final section. Safety stop at 5 metres over the shallow reef top.

Entry and Exit

Day boat from Marsa Alam (60–80 minutes) or liveaboard — typically the last Fury Shoals dive before heading north. Giant stride entry. SMB deployment before ascending.

Tips and Recommendations

• Embrace the leisurely character of the “farewell” concept — this dive suits a slower, more observational pace than the preceding days
• The sandy corridors reward careful navigation and patient searching for macro subjects
• Look back at the hard coral formations from a distance — the scale of the coral tables is impressive from an elevated perspective

Safety Considerations

Standard offshore reef precautions apply. SMB before ascending. Current on the outer slope should be assessed. Fire coral on the upper reef.

Photography

The hard coral garden in morning light offers excellent wide-angle ambient photography — coral table compositions with school fish in the background are the signature images. Sandy corridor macro work with stingrays and flatfish suits a macro lens approach. Turtle portraits on the reef platform are accessible at this site.

Sources: Divezone - Red Sea, Dive the World - Egypt Red Sea, Red Sea Scuba Diving, PADI - Diving in Egypt. Last updated 2026-04-04.