Egypt Red Sea: photographing legendary shipwrecks from Sharm el-Sheikh

Sharm el-Sheikh and the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula stand as historical cornerstones of global scuba diving. While Ras Mohammed National Park draws divers for steep drop-offs and schooling pelagics, the Strait of Gubal shelters a concentration of historic shipwrecks without equal.

For underwater photographers, these sunken steel giants offer striking wide-angle compositions where brilliant Red Sea sunlight reveals every detail.

Sunk in 1941 by German bombers, this 128-meter British armed freighter sits upright on a sandy bottom at 30 meters.

Distinct photographic zones include: - The open holds packed with Bedford military trucks, BSA motorbikes, and munitions crates covered in encrusting marine growth. - Twin steam locomotives thrown onto the seabed by the blast on the port and starboard sides. - The imposing bow draped in soft corals, guarded by trevally jacks and batfish schools.

Diving early in the morning before crowds arrive allows you to capture the entire bow under pristine ambient light without backscatter from passing fins.

Off Shadwan Island, the treacherous reef of Abu Nuhas has claimed multiple merchant vessels: - The Giannis D: Renowned for its 45-degree angled bridge that creates disorienting, award-winning wide perspectives. - The Carnatic: An 1869 British steamship whose open iron ribs form a sunlit underwater cathedral.

To review lenses and housings for your next northern liveaboard, explore our underwater photo gear comparator and check our guide on reliable dive computers for repetitive profiles.

Red Sea wreck dives often involve mild to moderate currents. Controlled finning and precise buoyancy prevent contact with sharp edges and preserve delicate marine life.

Mastering sunburst framing and managing shutter speeds under water is an essential part of the AquaExposure training program.