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The Alternatives — Wikimedia Commons | License: CC-BY-SA-3.0 | Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/AlternativesCorals.jpg
Boat entry

The Alternatives

South Sinai, Egypt
Open Water suggested5–25 m depthBoat entryRash guard or 2mm shorty typical

Boat dive — see Entry & access.

The Alternatives at a glance

The Alternatives is a boat dive site in South Sinai, Egypt with depths of 5–25 m (16–82 ft). Typically most favorable Nov · from 3 years of archive data. Divers commonly see Bluespotted stingray, Grouper, and Leopard shark. Recent reports put the water around 29°C (84°F). Check the latest conditions and entry details before you go.

Marine model · graded 4h ago
0.6 mwaves — under a meter expected

Tap a factor for its source and model point · Forecast 29°C · seasonal avg 29°C

Site hazards: Occasional current from the north; boat traffic among the pinnacles

Read the full hazards ↓

Dive windows this week

Best: Fri
Sun9:00–20:00
Mon7:00–20:00
Tue7:00–20:00
Wed7:00–20:00
Thu7:00–20:00
Fri7:00–20:00
Sat7:00–20:00

Favorable windowModerate window— no window

First light 5:37 · Sunrise 6:03 · Sunset 19:36

Source: Open-Meteo marine · model point 2.7 km from site · graded 4h ago

Forecast only — always assess conditions on site.

Recent diver reports

Dated firsthand observations from divers — not current conditions.

No diver reports for this site yet. — one dated observation helps every diver after you.

What Divers Say

Known for: Bluespotted stingray, Grouper, Anthias
Best time: Year-round; a reliable alternative when outer sites are rough

Based on community reviews and site data. Conditions vary — always verify before diving.

Best months, historically

What conditions have historically been typical at this site, month by month — not a forecast.

  1. Jan77%24°C0.8 m
  2. Feb52%22°C1.0 m
  3. Mar70%23°C0.8 m
  4. Apr61%23°C0.9 m
  5. May56%25°C0.9 m
  6. Jun50%27°C0.9 m
  7. Jul74%29°C0.7 m
  8. Aug53%29°C0.9 m
  9. Sep72%28°C0.9 m
  10. Oct80%27°C0.9 m
  11. Nov82%27°C0.8 m
  12. Dec81%25°C0.8 m

November hastypically had the largest share of favorable days here. Conditions vary year to year — this is historical context, not a forecast.

Based on 3 years of archive data. Bar height shows the share of days each month whose conditions have historically scored favorably.

Marine life recorded at this site, by month

Recorded observations — evidence of past sightings, not a promise of what you’ll encounter.

Species seen here

  • Bluespotted stingrayCommonly seen
  • GrouperCommonly seen
  • Leopard sharkSeasonal
  • SquidOccasionally seen
  • NudibranchOccasionally seen
  • AnthiasCommonly seen
  • GlassfishCommonly seen
  • Moray eelOccasionally seen

  • Cephalopholis argus recorded here Feb (1 record)

    most recent 2004

  • Cymbacephalus beauforti recorded here Feb (1 record)

    most recent 2004

  • Leptanthura boweni recorded here Feb (1 record)

    most recent 2004

  • Pterois volitans recorded here Feb (1 record)

    most recent 2004

  • Scarus psittacus recorded here Nov (1 record)

    most recent 2012

Counts are occurrence records near this site from public biodiversity datasets (GBIF), grouped by calendar month across all sampled years. Sightings vary — past records are context, not a prediction.

Fills & rentals nearby

Facts from OpenStreetMap, corrected by the community — listed by distance only. Details change; confirm with the shop.

Shop facts come from OpenStreetMap and community corrections, shown nearest first. PickADive lists facts and contacts only — no listing is sponsored or ranked.

Site details

A sheltered cluster of coral pinnacles, also known as Saba Erg or Stingray Station, strung east-west for about 1.5 miles along the southern edge of Sha'ab Mahmud beside a sandy lagoon averaging around 10m. The protected location makes it a popular alternative dive when the open sea is unfavourable, with the classic route circling the two central mooring pinnacles amid abundant coral and fish.

boatmuckpinnaclereef

Occasional current from the north; boat traffic among the pinnacles

Reviews

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