Daedalus Reef

Daedalus, known in Arabic as Abu el-Kizan, is a small oval reef standing alone in open sea about eighty kilometres from the coast, with a lighthouse on it and nothing else within sight in any direction. The reef drops vertically on all sides into very deep water and the walls carry heavy soft coral and gorgonian growth. Its reputation is built on hammerheads: schooling scalloped hammerheads gather off the northern plateau in the summer months, sometimes in large numbers, along with grey reef sharks, thresher sharks and oceanic whitetips later in the year. Manta rays pass. The exposure means conditions are frequently rough, current is often strong, and the reef is accessible only by liveaboard under permit.

What you actually see

• Schooling hammerheads - summer aggregations off the northern plateau.
• Vertical walls with gorgonians - reef dropping into open ocean.
• The offshore lighthouse - the only structure within sight.
• Open-ocean isolation - no land visible in any direction.

When to go

May to September, with the hammerhead season at its peak in the warmer months. Liveaboard itineraries in the deep south. Conditions in winter make the crossing impractical.

Honest expectations

Advanced divers only: strong current, depth and open-ocean conditions. Liveaboard access under permit is the only way. The crossing is long and often very rough. Shark sightings, while likely in season, are never guaranteed and should not be the only reason to book.

Nearby

The Brothers lie north offshore; Marsa Alam is the nearest mainland base.