Meet the site
Floats is named in the Aussie Marine Adventures west-side series as one of three shallow sites (with Nick's Lumps and Three Fins) close to Tantabiddi boat ramp, with a maximum depth of about 15 m, big cracks in the reef and ledges. Reef sharks, sea turtles and large potato cod are the typical sightings.
Little else has been published specifically about Floats, but it shares the character of the inshore west-side sites: raised reef cut by cracks with overhanging ledges, sandy patches between, and plenty of fish life. It is an easy option for Open Water divers when conditions allow the boat outside the passage.
About the west side: Ningaloo is a fringing reef, and the west side of North West Cape is where the reef faces the open ocean beyond the lagoon. Only a handful of boats dive it, launching from Tantabiddi, and much of it is rarely visited. Topography ranges from shallow cracked reef and ledges near Tantabiddi Passage to surge channels, bommies and walls further out, with 'caves, swim-throughs, huge bommies or walls, and a truly diverse range of hard and soft corals'. Whale sharks, mantas and humpback whales are seasonal visitors, and humpback song is commonly heard underwater in winter. The 2025 marine heatwave caused significant coral mortality in northern Ningaloo, so expect some dead or recovering coral. A typical west-side day combines two sites chosen by the skipper on the morning, with lunch on board inside the lagoon; because swell and wind decide everything, divers visiting Exmouth for a week should book early in their stay and keep a back-up day. The same boats often snorkel with whale sharks, mantas or humpbacks in season, so a west-side dive day can deliver megafauna on the way out or back.
What you might see
Potato cod, reef sharks, turtles, reef fish
Location
Shallow west-side reef close to Tantabiddi boat ramp, grouped by local divers with Nick's Lumps and Three Fins.
Facilities nearby
Tantabiddi boat ramp: toilets, car and trailer parking; no shade or fuel. Air fills and hire in Exmouth.
Before you make plans
Conditions, access and operator schedules can change. This is a location guide, not a dive plan. Ask a local operator about current conditions and suitability for your training and experience.
Sources & further reading
aussiemarineadventures.com.audiveningaloo.com.auwhalesharktours.com.auningaloowhalesharks.comswandive.com.auRecord updated 26 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.