In the final post of the SCUBA Dive Series, Shaine Middleton (Divemaster, Skipper and Tour Host) provides a brief run-down on SCUBA diving at Coral Bay in Western Australia.
Coral Bay is a small coastal village located 150km from Exmouth and it is one of my favourite places to dive in Western Australia. The coral reefs here are in pristine condition and one of the best things about this area is that it is so easily accessible due to the close proximity to the shoreline.
Bill’s Bay is a large bay that sits right on the doorstep of the townsite and is well known for its thick blanket of magnificent coral gardens covering a huge area pretty much right in front of any accommodation that you would be staying in while in Coral Bay.
The great thing about SCUBA diving in Coral Bay is that the boat ramp is only a 5-minute drive from town and most of the dive sites are a short 10-minute boat ride from there, so you arrive in no time!!
There are plenty of great dive sites inside the outer reef which are around 8-14 meters depth as well as the many outer reef sites that vary in max depth from 14-27 meters. Probably the most popular dive site in Coral Bay and a must-do for any SCUBA diver visiting Coral Bay is Asho’s Gap (12 meters max) where there is a reef shark cleaning station frequented by Grey Reef Sharks that line up to have their teeth cleaned by cleaner wrasse as they hover in the current above a coral outcrop that the cleaner fish live in.
Another popular dive is Lottie’s Lagoon (10 meters max depth) famous for its “critters” and macro life popular with underwater photographers.
Outer Reef dive sites like The Elbow (18 meters max) and The 23rd Parallel (24 meters max) are great places to see Manta Rays (The Elbow has a cleaning station), Sharks and giant Moray Eels among other large pelagic creatures.
Visit our SCUBA diving page and follow the links to “Coral Bay” to find out more and make a booking.
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
