Seven Brothers — Main Reef Wall

The Sept Frères (Seven Brothers) are a chain of volcanic islands in the Bab-el-Mandeb strait where the Red Sea narrows to meet the Gulf of Aden. The main reef wall on the largest island drops sheer from the surface to beyond 40 metres, encrusted with large sea fans, gorgonians, and hard coral bommies. Strong tidal currents push nutrient-rich water along the wall year-round, supporting dense schools of barracuda, jacks, and snappers, along with regular pelagic visitors including hammerhead and grey reef sharks. Dive numbers are extremely low; access is by live-aboard only.