Illustrated day on the reef, dawn to night — a smiling rising sun, a snorkeller over a manta ray and turtle at midday, and a crescent moon over the sunset

A day on the reef

Daily guide

What's good around Exmouth, hour by hour — each in-season experience placed in its best window by the real sun, moon, tide and sea breeze for the day. Step through dates to scout a trip.

Sunday 9 August

Solid bars are pinned to the real sun, moon, tide and sea breeze for this date; faded bars are a looser part of the day.

6am81012pm246810
Sundawn 6:29 · sunrise 6:53 · solar noon 12:30 · sunset 18:07 · dusk 18:30
Breezebreezyreefbreezytipbreezytownreef SE breeze ~7:00 · tip SE breeze ~7:00 · town SE breeze ~7:00 · up to 35 km/h
Tidehigh 5:52 (2.1 m) · low 13:41 (0.9 m) · high 20:39 (1.4 m) — Exmouth gauge, above LAT
Mandu Mandu Gorge loop6:13–8:13 · sunrise 6:53 · dawn for rock-wallabies — and no shade laterMandu Mandu rock-wallabies6:13–8:13 · sunrise 6:53 · most active in the soft early lightCharles Knife sunrise drive6:13–8:13 · sunrise 6:53 · low light throws the canyons into reliefBadjirrajirra Loop walk6:13–8:13 · sunrise 6:53 · start at first light — fully exposedVlamingh Head sunrise6:13–8:13 · sunrise 6:53Oyster Stacks coral snorkel6:23–8:22 · around high 5:52 · 2.1 m · needs ~1.2 m of water over the coralBundegi kayak trailaround high 5:52 · 2.1 m · breezy from 7:00 today · snorkel the moorings with water over the reefYardie Creek rim walk6:53–8:00 · cooler ends of the dayWobiri reef breakbreezy from 7:00 today · light easterly mornings, before the sea breezeTurquoise Bay drift snorkelbreezy from 7:00 todayLakeside reef snorkelbreezy from 7:00 todayYardie Creek paddlebreezy from 7:00 today · the gorge funnels windSandy Bay swimbreezy from 7:00 todaySandy Bay SUP & flat waterbreezy from 7:00 today · the wind crowd takes over once the breeze buildsBundegi reef snorkelbreezy from 7:00 today · a good fallback when the west coast blows outBundegi SUPbreezy from 7:00 todayTantabiddi lagoon snorkelbreezy from 7:00 todayExmouth scenic flightbook a morning flight — calmest air and best lightDunes surf breakmid tide ~9:47 · breezy from 9:00 today · mid tide — the left gets shallow on the dropOsprey Bay drift snorkel17:09–18:37 · rising to high 20:39 · 1.4 m · calm all day (≤28 km/h)Vlamingh Head sunset17:22–18:27 · sunset 18:07Jurabi dune sunset17:22–18:27 · sunset 18:07Milyering dark-sky stargazingdark sky from 19:23 · 14% moon · let your eyes adjust ~20 min

Sun and moon are computed for Exmouth; times are AWST. Tides are computed from the Exmouth gauge (20.3 km away; TICON-4 constituents, CC BY 4.0, DGFI-TUM) — astronomical tide above LAT, no weather surge. Not for navigation. Wind is an Open-Meteo forecast at 3 points across the cape (reef, tip, town): hours shade darker as the wind builds (hatched = 20+ km/h sea breeze), arrows show where it blows toward, and hovering an hour gives the number.