Shark and Yolanda Reef: A Drift Dive Built on Skill, Not Nerve

Shark and Yolanda Reef at Ras Mohammed is a celebrated drift dive where steep walls, coral plateaus and schooling fish can combine with powerful current. The dive is not improved by pretending the current is a test of courage. Listen carefully to the boat briefing. Entry point, direction and pickup plan depend on the day. A negative entry may be used in some conditions, which makes readiness and group discipline essential. Divers need reliable buoyancy, comfortable descents, computer awareness and the ability to deploy a surface marker buoy if required by the operator. Stay with the guide; separating to chase a school of fish can turn a spectacular dive into a search. Wide-angle photography is ideal, but current and depth come first. Prepare settings before entry and avoid stopping the group in a fast section. Skill here means making the dive look calm—even when the water is doing the moving.