Exmouth Navy Pier · Australia · Reef
Lighthouse Bay
Ledges and ground cracks in a no-take sanctuary zone
Area photo: Joshua Tagicakibau · CC BY-SA 4.0
A cluster of boat dives in the bay below Vlamingh Head lighthouse, all of them in 12 to 14 m of water. Blizzard Ridge, Labyrinth and Gullivers are the named sites divers ask for, and what they are known for is the small and unusual rather than the scenery. The whole bay is a sanctuary zone: no fishing, spearfishing or anchoring.
Also known as Vlamingh Head Lighthouse Bay.
Where it is and how deep
21.8080° S, 114.1120° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
Lighthouse Bay is dived by boat, two different sites on a trip, and the depth across them is a consistent 12 to 14 m. The ground is not flat reef: rocky outcrops, coral ledges and deep cracks in the seabed form the landscape, so the dives are worked slowly around structure rather than swum in a straight line. Visibility varies with the weather, ranging from about 5 m to 20 m.
Blizzard Ridge, Labyrinth and Gullivers have become the firm favourites among those sites, and divers go to them for the weird and wonderful rather than the scenic. Large schools of fish, sea snakes, turtles and reef sharks are all common sightings. The whole bay is a sanctuary zone, with no fishing, spearfishing or anchoring, a rule set to protect the corals. The operator runs the trip for all certification levels and will take uncertified divers on an introductory dive at the same sites.
Marine life and season
- Reef sharks
- Sea snakes
- Sea turtles
- Reef fish swarms
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good |
Season follows Exmouth Navy Pier: Divable year-round on slack water; Apr–Oct is the dry season and overlaps the wider Ningaloo whale shark and humpback seasons.
Questions divers ask
How deep are the Lighthouse Bay dives?+
The sites dived in the bay sit in a 12 to 14 m range, so they are shallow enough for long bottom times. Visibility depends on the weather and runs between about 5 m and 20 m.
Is Lighthouse Bay protected?+
Yes. The whole area is a sanctuary zone, which means no fishing, spearfishing or anchoring, a rule set to protect the corals there.
Sources
- Ningaloo Reef - Lighthouse Bay — Dive Ningaloo
- Exmouth (Western Australia) — Wikivoyage
More dive sites in Exmouth Navy Pier
Reef
Shallow gulf reef with kayak moorings in the Bundegi Sanctuary Zone
Artificial reef
Wobbegongs and grey nurse under a working navy jetty
Wobbegongs, grey nurse and whitetips under a working navy jetty
Similar dives elsewhere
Rocky ledges and cracks at 12-14 m inside a no-anchor sanctuary zone
Shore-entry reef with a spring nursery of young tiger sharks
Branching coral gardens in 5–12 m with three turtle species
A 12 m ledge where rays stop to be cleaned