Fan Coral at Ras Um Sid

Ras Um Sid sits near Sharm El-Sheikh. The reef is in good shape and there is plenty of fish, but the fan coral is why this dive stuck. Some of the largest, cleanest gorgonians I have seen.

Fan coral

Fan corals (gorgonians) grow in tree-like sheets that catch the current. At Ras Um Sid they are everywhere, some of them several feet across. Reds, purples, and yellows against blue water. They move a little as the current comes through, which is what makes the whole garden feel alive.

The dive

Visibility was clear and the current was moderate. Schools of fish moved through the coral as soon as we dropped in. Butterflyfish, angelfish, and parrotfish were on the reef the whole time. I spent most of the dive just looking at the fans. The lace pattern on each branch is easy to miss if you swim past too fast.

Fan coral facts

• Scientific name: gorgonians belong to the order Alcyonacea.
• They are filter feeders, catching plankton as water moves through the branches.
• Unlike hard corals, they are soft corals. They do not build reef rock, but they still give fish and crustaceans somewhere to live.
• They can grow several feet wide.
• The fan shape is about feeding. More surface in the current means more food.

Ras Um Sid is a straightforward site, which is part of why it works. You can be new or experienced and still have a good dive here. I came for a Red Sea reef and left thinking about those fans.

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Summary:
Near Sharm El-Sheikh. Clear water, moderate current, and gorgonians big enough that they become the dive. Butterflyfish, angelfish, and parrotfish on the same reef.