Is it safe to swim in Robb Bay in Sharm El Sheikh, and which direction has dangerous currents?

If the current sweeps you away from your pontoon, don't panic and fight to swim straight back — instead swim calmly to the next pontoon, exit there, and walk back along the shore. The current runs along the shoreline rather than pulling you out to open sea.

There's also a route along the outer reef wall to the lighthouse (swimming into the lagoon isn't recommended — nothing interesting there). Beyond the lighthouse you start to feel wind and the Nabq current, so don't go further. Watch the tides — swimming back during an ebb tide can be very hard, with one swimmer needing 25 minutes of nonstop crawl to escape the current. Boats passing by often check if you need help, and as a backup plan you can carefully cross the reef into the lagoon if you're struggling.

The latest report says the right side of Robb Bay is generally used for swimming along the whole bay, but the left side is discouraged because lifeguards warn people off due to current and there have been cases where swimmers needed help getting back.

If you are confident in deep water, shore entry matters less; the practical takeaway is to judge your swimming ability honestly instead of relying only on an easy beach entry.

You do not have to swim all the way to the pier; turning back earlier is fine. It depends on your level, since the current toward the pier can be against you and make the return harder.