Gota Mesharifa
20.8609°N 37.3191°E · reef
Gota Mesharifa (also known simply as Mesharifa) is a small sand island in a sheltered lagoon in northern Sudan, known as a manta ray cleaning and feeding station rather than as a wall or pinnacle dive.
Overview
This description has been corrected from a prior version that inaccurately portrayed Mesharifa as a wall/pinnacle shark site — that content could not be verified and did not match any source found. Mesharifa is a small sand island situated in a lagoon close to the Sudanese shore. From roughly August to November, the lagoon draws large numbers of manta rays that gather to feed on plankton blooms, and it is regarded as a manta cleaning station. Because of the same plankton that attracts the mantas, visibility during the season can be more limited than at Sudan’s clearer offshore reefs. It is a comparatively gentle, shallow site by Sudan standards — divers and snorkelers alike can encounter mantas here.
Site Information
- Location: Northern Sudan Red Sea, sheltered lagoon close to shore
- Entry Type: Boat dive
- Site Type: Reef
- Difficulty Level: Advanced
- Maximum Depth: 15 meters
- Best Time: August to November for manta encounters
Marine Life
Manta rays are the confirmed draw at this site, gathering seasonally (roughly August-November) to feed on plankton in the lagoon. No other species are confirmed for this specific site by available sources, so no broader species list is given here.
Entry and Exit
Access is by liveaboard dive boat / tender into the lagoon. Conditions are sheltered compared to Sudan’s exposed offshore walls and pinnacles.
Tips and Recommendations
- Visit in season (roughly August-November) for the best chance of manta encounters
- Expect reduced visibility during the plankton bloom that draws the mantas
- This is a good stop for photographers focused on manta behaviour rather than wide reef scenery
Safety Considerations
Standard buddy diving and SMB practices apply. Be aware that limited visibility during plankton blooms can make maintaining buddy contact harder than at Sudan’s clear offshore sites.
Sources: Mesharifa Dive Site Guide - theDiveGlobe, Sudan North & Mesharifa - Egyptian Cruising Company, Diving in Sudan. Top 5 Dive Sites - Divebooker. Last updated 2026-07-03.
Sea-surface temperature and wave height from Open-Meteo Marine (ERA5 reanalysis, monthly averages).
11 verified species observations (9 species) logged within ~11 km of this site between 1977 and 2009, from the Ocean Biodiversity Information System.
- Enneapterygius abeli
- Thalamita poissonii
- Metopograpsus messor
- Xiphonectes tenuicaudatus
- Characodoma gilchristi
- Lumbrineriopsis paradoxa
- Prionospio ehlersi
- Pholoides asperus
- Heterospio longissima
Scientific survey records skew toward sampled taxa (molluscs, corals) and do not reflect what you are guaranteed to see on a dive.
Source: OBIS (obis.org), aggregated Darwin Core occurrence records.
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