The name Ras Ghamila, which is not on official maps, is used by divers to indicate the tongue of the reef that juts out eastwards and on which is the green beacon that marks the western end of the Strait of Tiran. All the ships that come down from the ports of Aqaba and Eilat must pass by this beacon as well as the red and white one on Gordon Reef. The madreporic reef of Ras Ghamila separates a vast and rather shallow sandy lagoon from the sea and is crossed over by a small natural canal that is sometimes used by local fishermen. Ras Ghamila is an interesting place for a fine drift dive that is not too difficult. The classic dive, which must be followed in any case when the tide is swelling, begins immediately after you have passed the Conrad International Resort area; from this point you dive onto a vast sandy plateau with a slight incline, staying at a depth of about 15 meters, and then continue in a sort of gliding motion northwards, parallel to the edge of the reef at a level with the beacon. On the gentle slope of the reef, which descends to an average depth of about 8 meters, there are many large colonies of Porites coral and some Giant triggerfish (Balistoides viridescens) often pass by, while on the plateau there are large Acropora corals, around which schools of pelagic fish swim.