Noss means half but it can also be used as a description for “in the middle” or “half way”. In the name Tobia El Noss it describes the location half way between Tobia Kebir and Tobia Soraya. With the right conditions and current you can drift the whole way from the north end of Tobia Kebir to the south end of Tobia Soraya but this middle section is also a lovely dive by itself.
There are mooring lines on the eastern erg which makes a perfect starting point. Here you will find a flat sandy bottom 12 metres under the boat where small coral blocks are inhabited by all sorts of interesting marine life. Bring a macro lens for your camera because you are likely to stumble on nudibranches, wortslugs and flatworms. Head out east and explore this area until you reach the channel leading out to the east side of the reef system. Here you should take your time examine the larger coral formations. Some of them have an almost perfect spherical shape, two are formed like ridges and one resembles a sugar-cone. The latter is also hollow and home to a vast school of glassfish and a big number of lionfish.

Weather to go north or south from here depends on the direction of the current and this is easy to distinguish by looking at anthias and other small fish. They are always facing the current. As you swim along on the outside of the reef don’t forget to keep an eye out in the blue. Large fish do pass here from time to time. Turn around on 100bar and head back to the erg with the mooring on the same side of the reef. The west side is not as pretty as the east.