Red Sea Atlas Dispatch, October 2026

Whales are unusual visitors off Hamata. This October, they were reported alongside sharks and whale sharks, with dense sardine baitballs gathering in the area.

Our monthly newsletter brings together the stories, sightings and events shaping life along the Red Sea, alongside news from the Atlas.

October brought whale reports from the south and a busy calendar on the water. El Gouna hosted its Boat Show, Winds of Sinai returned to Blue Lagoon, and Sharm held IRONMAN 70.3. Somabay's Aquaman programme closes out the month.

On the Atlas, we published new articles on Hamata's sardine baitballs and the origins of the Red Sea's name.

October at a Glance

Whales reported around Hamata

Whale sightings have been reported by various sources around Hamata. Sharks and whale sharks have also been reported around the sardine baitballs gathering in the area.

Whales are unusual visitors along this stretch of coast. The species in the recent reports have not yet been confirmed.

When predators close in, the sardines crowd together for protection, forming a baitball. The shoals provide food for larger animals, helping explain why so much marine life can gather in one area.

These shoals are also targeted by commercial fishing. Large catches taken from active feeding grounds can leave less food for the animals gathering there, even when nets stay clear of the reef.

Our new article looks at that connection between fishing and wildlife, and what protecting feeding grounds could mean for Hamata and the people who make a living there.

El Gouna Boat Show

The El Gouna Boat Show returned to New Marina from 8 to 10 October, bringing local and international boat and yacht brands together on the waterfront.

For prospective owners, the three-day show was a chance to see boats in person, speak directly with marine businesses and compare what is available locally. Show offers and financing opportunities were part of the programme.

There was also equipment for people who already own or operate a boat. Marintec's display included MAN, Nanni and other marine brands, with its team discussing engine replacement, onboard upgrades and electric technologies.

Winds of Sinai at Blue Lagoon

Red Bull Winds of Sinai returned to Blue Lagoon near Dahab, with an event window from 15 to 20 October.

Blue Lagoon sits north of town on the Gulf of Aqaba, separate from Dahab's main lagoon. Its flat water and strong winds have made it an established kite destination, with riders travelling up the coast by boat.

The finals brought competition back to a place that many riders know from their own trips. Following September's busy competition calendar in El Gouna, October put the focus on Sinai and the kite community around Dahab.

IRONMAN 70.3 in Sharm El Sheikh

Sharm El Sheikh hosted IRONMAN 70.3 on 16 October, with athletes starting in Naama Bay for a 1.9 km sea swim.

A 90 km bike ride and a 21.1 km run followed. The race brought another endurance event to the coast after September's OCEANMAN in El Gouna.

Aquaman closes the month in Somabay

Somabay's Aquaman programme runs from 29 to 31 October, with race-pack collection and briefings opening the weekend before two days of swimming.

The longer swims are scheduled for 30 October: a 15 km ultra event over three laps, alongside 10 km and 5 km races. A 500 m children's race is also on the day's programme.

On 31 October, the schedule moves to a 2 km swim, a 1 km race with fins and a team relay. Each relay team has three swimmers taking a 500 m leg, giving friends and clubmates a way to race together as well as individually.

The marina hosts the briefings and award ceremonies, with an AquaTalks panel discussion also included in the opening evening.

El Gouna Film Festival

El Gouna's ninth Film Festival ran from 15 to 23 October, with nine days of Arab and international cinema, discussions and industry events. The town moved from boats at the marina earlier in the month to screenings and conversations with filmmakers.

At the closing ceremony, Mohammed Hammad's Safe Exit won the Golden Star for best feature film. Ahmed Hassouna's Citizen Osama took the Golden Star for best documentary, as well as the award for best Arab documentary.

The Green Star, which recognises films addressing environmental and sustainability issues, went to Nuisance Bear, directed by Gabriela Osio Vanden and Jack Weisman.

Alongside the screenings, CineGouna Funding awarded more than USD 350,000 in financial and service support to 16 film projects, helping filmmakers develop and complete their work.

Chill O'posite in Dahab

Dahab hosted Chill O'posite from 8 to 10 October, with a music programme spread across three days and four stages.

The announced lineup included 47Soul, Sama' Abdulhadi, Nico Morano, MIRA and Hot Oasis, alongside other Egyptian, regional and international acts. It brought a music crowd to town a week before Winds of Sinai's competition window.

From the Atlas

The Red Sea Atlas app is available for Android and iOS.

The Atlas brings our guides and member community together around the places you want to explore. Plan your next Red Sea trip with local knowledge, then share your own sightings and experiences when you return. What you learn on the water can help the next person heading out.

The Red in the Red Sea

Our October article looks at the competing explanations behind the Red Sea's name, from algal blooms to reflected sunlight, with photographs of the water at sunset.

Private expeditions

Our first private Atlas expedition took us to Brothers, Daedalus and Elphinstone aboard Katana this month. We encountered plenty of oceanic whitetips, with hammerheads and silky sharks at Daedalus too. Photos, footage and the full trip report are coming soon.

If you'd like to plan a private liveaboard expedition for your own group, we'd be happy to hear from you.

The Dispatch is our monthly record of this coast, and the people on the water help us keep it current. If you've seen something we should cover, get in touch.

Know someone who would enjoy the Dispatch? Share this issue with them.

See you next month.