Exmouth Navy Pier

Exmouth Navy Pier is a 300 m long working pier about 14 km from Exmouth, Western Australia, dived as a shore dive. It is still an active Navy pier, used from time to time by Navy ships servicing the naval base, and it is a Defence Restricted Area. It is not open to the general public, national security measures apply, and divers must follow directions from Defence representatives and guides without question.

Tide and current control the dive. Currents around the pier are very strong, so it can only be dived at slack tide. Depending on the moon phase, one or two dives are possible in a day, and dive times change from day to day. Visibility is usually 3 to 10 m, depending on weather and tidal movement.

Marine life is dense because fishing is not allowed and access is restricted, so animals gather under the structure for protection. Nudibranchs, flatworms, scorpionfish, frogfish, moray eels, toadfish, shrimp and octopus fill the nooks and crannies. Big schools of snapper, rabbitfish and fusiliers cruise through the shadows alongside huge grouper, sea snakes and sharks, commonly grey nurse, reef sharks and wobbegongs. The pilings are covered in soft corals and sponges that feed in the current, which attracts butterflyfish, angelfish, moorish idols and parrotfish.