Umm Gamar North

The name Umm Gamar means 'mother of the moon' in Arabic, probably an allusion to the crescent-moon-shaped island over the reef. Umm Gamar is among the roughly 14 dive sites of the Northern Islands Protected Area, in the Red Sea. North Umm Gamar brings together two places: the northern plateau and Halg Umm Gamar, 'the neck of Umm Gamar'. It is a bend in the Umm Gamar reef, where the sandy bottom runs past two big coral blocks. There is also a cave just behind the projecting column under the reef top.

Big schools of anthias, snappers and sweetlips hold still in the current and mark the point where it splits. There are groupers of several kinds and butterflyfish everywhere, and gorgonians and soft corals drape the wall. Among the most common fish are peacock groupers and mask butterfly fish. The northern plateau has huge table corals and large fish, and some pinnacles hold a lot of marine life. Diving to the south, there are black coral trees. The reef also stands out for its Spanish dancers, which can be seen by day.

At Umm Gamar, mantas sometimes pass by in February and March.