Overview
'The reef with many colourful coral blocks' – that's the translation of Umm Aruk and that pretty much says it all: An incredibly exciting zig-zag race around the corner and around the back awaits us here as well as a colourful underwater world beyond comparison.
Description
Umm Aruk is one of the most interesting diving sites in the area of St. John's with some coral blocks and around two dozen coral towers which divers do not only circle but also countless fish contending for the best spots. The towers measure an impressive six to nine metres in height and have a diameter of two to four metres.
Whoever wants to see bannerfish and millet butterflyfish in large numbers, should definitely dive the north side. Young whitetip reef sharks can often be encountered in the ascending, lagoon-like grooves.
Additional gigantic blocks can be found on the west side. Eagle rays and sand eels live well-protected between them. The current is volatile and can come from all directions, but thanks to the turbulence created between the blocks, we can use it to our advantage.
Hotspots
- Coral towers: Umm Aruk's underwater world is simply incredible – behind, around and on each of the coral towers, we find an infinite amount of life: from bannerfish and millet butterflyfish to eagle rays and sand eels plus whitetip reef sharks.