They are for sure hanging about at Ras Umm Sid at the moment - I have not seen one there but they seem to be regularly spotted around 3pm - I've been on the boats every day for a month but not had the opportunity to visit Umm Sid so late in the afternoon.
My Tower sighting was about 2:30 pm and last year they were as regular as clockwork...2pm Far Garden, 2.30pm Near Garden, 3pm Tower, moving to the south in the afternoon - and Umm Sid is South of Tower.
I'm not a Manta expert but for some reason they do seem to be reasonably predictable (at least here in Sharm) - it's not a guarantee on every dive of course, but three or four times a week at the same dive site at a similar time? and that's only from one dive centre - I spoke with guides at other shops who confirm the sightings.
I'd actually like somebody to tell me what the reason behind this may be. The dive sites where the Mantas were most regularly spotted in Sharm last year (at least as far as I know) were Far Garden, Near Garden, Tower, and this year, Ras Umm Sid. All have points or corners, to a greater or lesser extent, that extend into the blue - which I know is probably part of the reason for the sightings in that the creatures probably navigate using these points, but the timing is also interesting. What's so great about being at these places at that particular time?
Tower is an odd geographical exception because the "point" is nearly a kilometre away, (dive site Sodfa to the north) but it's actually quite sheltered and set back a bit inshore, so why the Mantas like to visit we don't know, but they do get seen there quite often. It may also be that Tower is a much more popular dive site than Sodfa....
Anyway, it's very cool to have them back... and the rest of the red sea wildlife!
Cheers
C.
