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Red Sea Sharks encounters — BDE itinerary aboard MY JPMarine
Month-by-Month Shark Probability Table
Values represent the probability that a diver completing a full BDE itinerary will encounter the listed species at the listed site at least once during the week. Estimates synthesise internal instructor data, ISRA scientific factsheets, and published operator logs.
| Month | 🦈 Hammerheads (Daedalus) |
🦈 Hammerheads (Brothers) |
🦈 Oceanic Whitetip (Elphinstone) |
🦈 Oceanic Whitetip (Brothers) |
Grey Reef (Brothers S plateau) |
Thresher (Brothers) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 25% | 15% | 40% | 45% | 90% | 30% |
| Feb | 25% | 15% | 35% | 35% | 90% | 30% |
| Mar | 35% | 20% | 25% | 25% | 90% | 35% |
| Apr | 45% | 30% | 35% | 35% | 90% | 40% |
| May | 70% | 40% | 35% | 30% | 90% | 50% |
| Jun | 75% | 45% | 25% | 25% | 90% | 55% |
| Jul | 75% | 45% | 20% | 20% | 90% | 55% |
| Aug | 70% | 40% | 25% | 25% | 90% | 50% |
| Sep | 55% | 35% | 50% | 55% | 90% | 40% |
| Oct | 40% | 25% | 80% | 80% | 90% | 35% |
| Nov | 30% | 20% | 85% | 85% | 90% | 30% |
| Dec | 25% | 15% | 70% | 75% | 90% | 30% |
How to Read This Data
🦈 Grey reef sharks are flat at 90% because the species is resident at the Brothers south plateau — it does not migrate. Probability of encountering one during a 2-day Brothers stop is consistently very high regardless of month.
🦈 Hammerhead peak window: May to August. Numbers stay non-trivial in shoulder months because individual hammerheads pass through year-round; what changes is whether they school.
✔️ Oceanic whitetip peak window: October to December, with a secondary spring pulse in April–May.
✔️ These numbers describe a baseline. Some weeks deliver everything; some deliver less. No pelagic encounter is guaranteed.
Scalloped Hammerheads — Peak Season and Site Breakdown
Scalloped hammerheads (Sphyrna lewini) are the flagship species at Daedalus reef. The peak window is May through August, when schooling behaviour is most consistent. Daedalus outperforms Brothers for hammerheads every month — the offshore plateau creates the thermocline conditions the species prefers for aggregation.
| Feature | Daedalus | Brothers |
|---|---|---|
| Peak probability | 75% (Jun–Jul) | 45% (Jun–Jul) |
| Low season floor | 25% (Jan, Feb, Dec) | 15% (Jan, Feb, Dec) |
| Schooling behaviour | May–Aug | May–Aug (less dense) |
| Individual pass-throughs | Year-round | Year-round |
| Warm-water performance | Strong — August 70% | Moderate — August 40% |
One point worth addressing: the popular rule that “sharks don’t like warm water” does not apply cleanly to hammerheads at this site. The Bojanowski / ISRA scientific data confirms scalloped hammerhead aggregations at Daedalus during the boreal summer — August still produces strong action despite water temperatures. Site-specific thermocline structure matters more than surface temperature.
Oceanic Whitetips — When and Where
Oceanic whitetips (Carcharhinus longimanus) peak October through December at both Elphinstone and Brothers. A secondary spring pulse in April–May produces mid-range probabilities at both sites. Elphinstone’s south plateau and the Brothers north wall are the most documented encounter points.
| Feature | Elphinstone | Brothers |
|---|---|---|
| Peak probability | 85% (Nov) | 85% (Nov) |
| Primary peak window | Oct–Dec | Oct–Dec |
| Secondary spring pulse | Apr–May (35%) | Apr–May (35%) |
| Low season floor | 20% (Jul) | 20% (Jul) |
| IUCN status | Critically Endangered | |
Planning around a specific species or month?
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Grey Reef and Thresher Sharks — Year-Round Residents
Two species at Brothers Islands do not follow a seasonal pattern. Site selection matters more than calendar timing for both.
| Feature | Grey Reef Shark | Thresher Shark |
|---|---|---|
| Best site | Brothers south plateau | Big Brother south plateau |
| Year-round probability | 90% every month | 30–55% |
| Thresher peak window | — | Sep–Feb (30–55%) |
| Best time of day | Any dive | Dawn — first dive |
| Migration pattern | Resident — does not migrate | Pelagic — visits reef edge |
| IUCN status | Near Threatened | Vulnerable |
Grey reef sharks are resident at the Brothers south plateau — probability is flat at 90% across all 12 months. A diver landing at Big Brother in February has the same encounter probability as one landing in August. For threshers, the dawn first-dive protocol at the south plateau edge is the primary variable — see the dedicated thresher sharks at Brothers Islands guide for full briefing detail.
Which Month to Book for Sharks
| Priority Species | Best Months | Best Site | Peak Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🦈 Hammerheads | Jun–Jul | Daedalus | 75% |
| 🦈 Oceanic whitetips | Nov | Elphinstone / Brothers | 85% |
| Grey reef sharks | Any month | Brothers south plateau | 90% |
| Thresher sharks | Sep–Feb | Big Brother south plateau | 40–55% |
| 🦈 Overlap window (hammerhead + whitetip) | Sep–Oct | BDE full route | Both species active |
September and October produce the most species overlap: hammerhead numbers at Daedalus are still viable (55% and 40%), while oceanic whitetip numbers begin their peak climb (50–80%). Both species are in range on the same BDE itinerary in those two months. Grey reef sharks and threshers at Brothers remain a constant regardless of which window you book.
The BDE Itinerary — Brothers, Daedalus, Elphinstone
MY JPMarine departs from Hurghada, Saturday–Saturday. 17–21 dives scheduled per week.
🦈 Big Brother — south plateau for threshers at dawn, north wall for oceanic whitetips and grey reef sharks
🦈 Elphinstone — south plateau, oceanic whitetips, strong current wall diving
✔️ Nitrox available
✔️ Full-board catering aboard
✔️ PADI courses available mid-trip
✔️ Card payment accepted
Upgrade to AOWD During Your Trip
PADI Advanced Open Water Diver courses run aboard MY JPMarine every week. Complete your certification mid-trip and unlock Big Brother south plateau, Daedalus, and Elphinstone on the same journey.
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Hammerhead shark, thresher and grey reef sharks — BDE itinerary, MY JPMarine / Franziska Stier
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FAQ
Questions we get every week
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When do oceanic whitetip sharks peak at Elphinstone and Brothers?
Are grey reef sharks affected by season at Brothers Islands?
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