Osprey Bay Snorkel
LOCATION Ningaloo Reef, Cape Range National Park, Exmouth, Western Australia
DEPTH 2-4 Meters
WATER TEMP 22-28 Degrees
DIFFICULTY Easy
There is easy access from the beach boat ramp, its shallow and no currents.
FEATURE
Google Map data © 2024 Imagery © Airbus, Maxar Technologies
Osprey Bay Snorkel
LOCATION Ningaloo Reef, Cape Range National Park, Exmouth, Western Australia
DEPTH 2-4 Meters
WATER TEMP 22-28 Degrees
DIFFICULTY Easy
There is easy access from the beach boat ramp, its shallow and no currents.
FEATURE
Osprey Bay Snorkel
If swimming with turtles is on your snorkelling bucket list, then Osprey Bay on Ningaloo Reef is the place to go. Easily accessed by the boat ramp at the South Mandu Campground, Osprey Bay’s sea grass fields are a favourite grazing area for green sea turtles. If you have a kayak, you can head out to a couple of mooring points on the reef r swim left of the boat ramp for more coral.
What Can I See?
- This is one of the best spots on Ningaloo to see green sea turtles
- Fish
Getting There
Look for the turn off to Osprey Bay campground from Yardie Creek Road. it is about 38km from the pay station at the entrance to Cape Range National Park and 80km form Exmouth. The access road to the campground is a compacted dirt road suitable for 2wd cars.
Where & How do you get in?
There is a parking area near the boat ramp. Suit up there and you have a walk of less than 100m to the boat ramp which is where you walk into the water
Best Season
Good year round. It does get hot from October to April so be sun smart.
Autumn is typically warm water and warm daytime temperatures great for boating a swimming. Be aware of stingers this time of year and be fully covered. Winter will see a greater chance of swiming with Mantarays.
During summer temperatures average around 37 degrees so it is likely to be very hot from November – February. Temperatures are much more pleasant during the winter months of May – September with an average temperature of 24 degrees.
- Turtles all year round but nesting from November to March
- Whale Sharks – March – August
- Manta Rays all year round but very active from April to November
- Humpback Whales – June – October
- Turtle Hatching – January – March
Potential Hazards
- Boat Traffic
How Busy / Crowds
- There is a campground at Osprey Bay so you might find a few other people in the water but it shouldnt be too busy
Parking
- There is a parking area just back from the boat ramp and we have never seen it busy here even in holidays.
Costs / Permits
If you don’t have a national park pass, you will need to get one as you enter Cape Range National Park at the self serve station on the main road. It is $17 per standard vehicle.
The information for each snorkel spot is provided by people who have snorkelled there. However, snorkelling conditions change daily. Please be aware that wind, swell, tides and cloud cover can all affect visibility and your experience in the water.
Disclosure: Please Note That Some Links In This Post May Be Affiliate Links, And At No Additional Cost To You, We Earn A Small Commission If You Make A Purchase. Commissions Go Toward Maintaining The Snorkel Spots Website.
Rate this Snorkel Spot
If you have snorkelled here, rate your experience
Ningaloo Reef Tours
Best Conditions
It can be a washing machine here. Neighbouring Sandy Bay is a popular windsurfing spot. Avoid here if there is a south or south westerly wind. Light or any other wind direction should be ok.
Windy Map Instructions – Click on the wind icon in the top right to see other conditions such as swell, temperature, rain. To clear the four day forecast click and close the wind icon.
Facilities at Osprey Bay
Toilets
Picnic Tables
Parking
Shade
Boat Ramp
About the Snorkel
This is snorkel spot that often gets overlooked for the better known Oyster Stacks, Turquoise Bay and Lakeside Sanctuary. But if seeing a turtle is on your snorkelling bucket list, Osprey Bay is where we suggest you try.
We haven’t always had good luck with conditions at Osprey Bay. On a couple of previous visits here it was so windy that visibility in the water was less than a meter. So, on our third attempt, we were delighted to finally get some calmer conditions.
Osprey Bay is quite different to other snorkel spots in Ningaloo. There is a bit of coral, but the bottom here mainly features seagrass – which is why it is perfect for turtle viewing.
We got into the water straight down the boat ramp and I think we swam out maybe 15m before we spotted three turtles right in front of us. They were so busy eating they paid us little notice so unlike other turtle sightings, we got to have a good look at the them doing their thing.
We slowly snorkelled a bit further to the right and spotted another 4 or 5 turtles. It was turtle heaven for a wildlife watcher. We just floated around them, watching them eat and come up for a breath or two right in front of us, it was magic.
Looking back at our photos, we were obviously turtle obsessed but there were a few fish around too – we were just too distracted to get many pictures of them. Because of the sea grass, if you are lucky, you could also see a dugong cruise by.
If you go left when you get in the water at the boat ramp, there is less sea grass and more reef, where you can spot reef sharks and rays as well as more fish. We’ll need to head over that way next time. We also look forward to getting a kayak, there are a couple of mooring points about 1km offshore from the boat ramp.
Snorkel Spots Nearby
More Things To Do
- Upgrade to top SA Dive and Snorkel Spot - July 4, 2024
- Best snorkelling in South Australia - June 10, 2024
- Snork the Yorke - June 10, 2024
