Cave Reef / Malahi Sirnaka

This reef has many Arabic names: Um Kaharim, Malahi Sirnaka, or Malahi St. Johns.   “Malahi” means “playground,” and that’s the most accurate description. The entire reef is a playground for cave enthusiasts. The entrances to the cave passages, which repeatedly open up toward the surface, lie at depths of 5 to 8 meters. As a diver unfamiliar with the area, it’s easy to lose your bearings in this sprawling system of passages. But eventually, you’ll always spot an exit. Much to the delight and amusement of the boat crew, it’s also common to see heads briefly pop up in the middle of the reef, only to quickly and stealthily dive back down after a moment’s orientation.   The truly unique play of light in the caves and the many tiny creatures make divers’ eyes light up in this playground. Living in the crevices and overhangs of the cave passages are, for example, the banded shrimp, which live in pairs, or—usually in large groups—the Durban dancing shrimp. The Durban dancing shrimp gets its name from its unusual way of moving along the seafloor. The Durban dancing shrimp’s cautious strutting is repeatedly interrupted by abrupt stops, making it look a bit like a tango dancer.   Three large, tame Napoleon wrasse call the boats’ anchorage home.