There are many dive sites along the outer reef on the Ningaloo Reef accessible from the Tantabiddi boat ramp near Exmouth. These sites vary greatly in topography and depth and are known for the large numbers of fish, turtles and sharks. Chance encounters of the reef’s larger inhabitants such as Manta Rays have been known to occur during the season (and occasionally Whale Sharks and Humpback Whales!!).
Places along the outer reef typically have big cracks in the reef and ledges, as well as swim-throughs and tunnels which provide places to shelter for the myriad of marine life that reside in the areas along the outer reef.
Nick’s Lumps, Floats, and Three fins are sites that are all pretty close to Tantabiddi, and with a max depth of around 15 meters, you can typically see reef sharks, turtles, and large Potato Cod.
Central Station is named for its Manta Ray cleaning station and we frequently see these majestic creatures lining up here to allow local cleaner wrasse to remove parasites from their skin and the inside of their mouths (15 meters max depth).
Wall dives like O’s Wall and Milyering Wall have a max depth of around 27 meters and we have seen squadrons of Mobula Rays, Spanish Mackerel and other large pelagic fish cruising along in the blue water just off the wall and there is a beautiful soft coral garden on the shelf on top of the wall at Milyering Wall for your safety stop.
Other sites like The Coliseum (17 meters max) and Beverly Hills (24 meters max) are big offshore holes in the reef with a sandy bottom enclosed by a ledge where large gatherings of reef predators such as Coral Trout and Rankin Cod like to hang around and feed on baitfish which shelter here. Beverly Hills is one of my personal favourites as it has a place called “the bait crack” which is a swim through swarming with clouds of glass fish and takes you through a cave that opens out on top of the reef.
There are many, many other sites along the west side and this is only a small taste of what this part of the reef has to offer. Visit our SCUBA diving page for more information.
About Shaine Middleton
“As a Divemaster and dive boat skipper working out of Coral Bay and Exmouth on the Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia for over 15 years, I’ve been lucky enough to experience the very best Ningaloo has to offer. With over 200 documented dive sites to choose from, I have personally dived (and taken 100’s of divers) to many of the most amazing places here that showcase the area’s diving diversity.”
Shaine Middleton
Divemaster, Skipper and Tour Host – Exmouth, Western Australia
