Cascais spearfishing forecast — wind, swell, visibility, tides & live cameras

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◈Cascais · Portugal
2.5
🌫 Murky all week after the storm — the water isn't settling
visibility~1m

Nottoday

Today — sit it out — wave, wind and surge pounding. 🌫 Murky all week after the storm — the water isn't settling

Sources: IPMA · buoys · Open-Meteo · Copernicus — high confidence · data 03:04

Sources & confidence

Sources
IPMA · buoys · Open-Meteo · Copernicus
Method
spearo sea-state engine: consensus of up to 6 models + satellite clarity (ZSD) + buoy-bias checks
Freshness
Re-read every hour, per coast

Compiled by the spearo sea-state engine · How it works →

The verdict comes from seven water factors and hard safety gates — not ten tabs. Go or stay.

How we score the water

Our own model

Our own forecast engine — not a third-party widget. It weighs these water factors into one go-or-stay verdict for this coast; the 0–10 dial is that verdict, read out as a number.

01
Swell & wave memory
Height, period and direction of the swell, plus the wake of recent storms — an old storm still stirs the water, and the engine remembers.
02
Wind & gusts
Speed and gusts, hour by hour — wind speed and an onshore push chop the surface and cut visibility.
03
Tide phase
Timing and range of the tide, calibrated per coast — big spring tides pull the verdict toward caution.
04
Water temperature
Sea-surface temperature — sharply cold water vetoes a green verdict.
05
Currents & outflow
Direction and drift of the current — it pushes you, and it drags turbid coastal water across where you dive.
06
Rain runoff & air clarity
Rain muddies the water inshore through land runoff, while fog and haze cut visibility at the surface.
07
Coast shape & exposure
How the coast faces the swell — a sheltered cove keeps the water clean; an exposed, head-on point takes a penalty.

Safety gates

  • Thunderstorm forecast — an instant red, no exceptions.
  • An official warning (MeteoAlarm / IPMA) — yellow, or red for the higher ranks.
  • Missing input data — a would-be green is capped to yellow rather than overstated.
  • Strong disagreement between forecast models — a green day is pulled back to yellow.
  • Night hours — where night spearfishing is banned by law the window is forced red; where it is legal (Australia outside NSW, New Zealand, South Africa) it is capped at yellow, never green.

It all folds into a single 0–10 score and one verdict: go or stay.

A forecast, not a guarantee — the sea has the last word.

Entry pointsNo-take zonesLive cams

Where to get in, where to hunt

Entry points with coordinates
Seabed relief — promising ground

This verdict — in your pocket. Open the app for the week's window.

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0 m

Surface

Wind, wave and the swell windows — when to go and the best hours.

spearo.app
calmupdated 03:04
Guincho — rocks — solo, off the rocks
DON'T GO
don't go · wave 1.9 m (occasionally up to ~3.8 m)
wave 1.9 m head-onwind 6 km/hsurge pounding the rocksvisibility ~1 m
today, best window 06:00–09:00
fish · Visibility 1 m · Water 16.3°C
confidence low · verdict for the selected day
Before entering, check the camera and the surge
Whole week — tap a day. is driving swell right now.
›
Solo risk: carry a float · tell someone your plan and exit time · doubt = don't go. A model-based planner; the call is made on site.
Selected day

Windows, hours
and the day's trends.

The day is picked above, in the hero. Here are that day's windows, the hour-by-hour map and the trends. Tap a window to break down the conditions.

Sunday · today2026-10-25
06:56–17:45 · full moon
▲ 01:00▼ 07:00▲ 13:00▼ 19:00 · 2.9 m
Hours (06→20)
06
09
12
15
18
Day's trends
Tide0.01 m
Wave1.84 m
Wind12 km/h
Water16 °C
fish activity: moonset 06:06 · moderate · moon underfoot 11:40 · high · moonrise 17:06 · moderate · moon overhead 00:00 · high
Conditions window06:00–09:00
don't go fish ·
Hs 1.92 m · roughperiod 9.4 s head-onwind 6→20surge 23.6viz 1 m
1.92 mrough · up to ~3.84 · 326° head-on
9.4 sswell moderate
6→20gusts 20 km/h
23.6pounding the rocks
0.17m/s
1 mrecent swell
16.3°C5 mm + hood
▲13:00tide turn near
Atmosphere31 kmlandmarks visible
moderatemoonset
  • wave 1.9 m (occasionally up to ~3.8 m)
  • swell period 9 s
  • first hours of the flood — fish moving in
confidence lowtwilight
Open the seafloor map with entry points →
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spearo.app · a private marine instrument · Cascais · a planner, not a safety guarantee · TidesPrivacy
Today
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Map
Best window · next 3 days

Next 3 days — not divable: wave up to 2.4 m

🌫 Murky all week after the storm — the water isn't settling

transparency nearby ~4 m · satellite, 2 days agosatellite estimate · may differ right at the shore

↓ low tide 06:55 · slack water ~06:10–07:40 bite times: 10:40–12:40 · 16:36–17:36

Tell me when it's on

Just your email — nothing else needed.

Your best window — with you. Forecast in your pocket.

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−10 m

The water column

Visibility and what drives it — post-storm clearing, river plume, temperature and the thermocline.

What it is

A marine instrument,
go / no-go for solo hunting.

spearo.app folds wind, wave, swell period, visibility, tides, water temperature and risk into a single verdict — go to the spot or not. It computes 7 days ahead from open marine models (Open-Meteo, IPMA), with no sign-up and no accounts. Built for solo spearfishing off the rocks, where any mistake costs dearly.

Now live: 3016 spots across 406 stretches of coast — mainland Portugal, Madeira and the Azores.

See all spots →
−20 m

The seabed

Relief and bottom type, tides, and the depths of each spot.

On the rock

The forecast is the plan.
The call is on the rock.

The models set the window. Whether you go in is read only at the water: count the sets, watch the surge on the entry. If in doubt, you don't get in.

Entry points

Where to get in
off the rocks.

Scouted entries, coloured by today. The colour is the sea state at the spot, not a guarantee: the wash and a slippery entry you judge on site.

Open the seafloor map →
Pedra da Nau (Ship Rock)Cascais bay · Pedra da Nau
dangerous
in the headland's lee today — swell from the quarter/behind
window
dawn to ~09:00 (boats/nortada)
tide
low–mid (rock channels)
shelter
from the NW nortada (Santa Marta point + bay geometry)
conditions
almost any calm, nortada included; swell <0.5 m W/NW
hazard
boat traffic from Cascais marina — flag buoy MANDATORY
access
easy entry from the seafront by Villa Italia

the safest solo entry, but busy — a fallback when the NW spots close out (NOT Arriba)

Google Maps
Praia da Rainha — rocky coveCascais bay · Praia da Rainha
dangerous
⛔ Banned here
in the headland's lee today — swell from the quarter/behind
window
—
tide
—
shelter
cove fully sheltered from NW and south swell
conditions
NOT for hunting (close to the swimming beach/marina); snorkel viz-check only
hazard
hunting banned — proximity to the swimming beach
access
easy, in central Cascais

viz-check only, not hunting

Google Maps
Praia das Primas — rocky coveCascais bay · Praia das Primas
dangerous
in the headland's lee today — swell from the quarter/behind
window
dawn to ~09:00 (swimmers)
tide
low–mid (locals: best at low tide)
shelter
from the NW nortada (the Estoril coast faces south); open to S/SW swell
conditions
S/SW swell <0.5 m; rocky bottom close in, shallow
hazard
surge on the rocks with any south swell — rock exit; flag buoy mandatory
access
end of Rua Vasco da Gama, São João do Estoril — small cove

west of the Avencas MPA — normal national limits; little-known cove, point is approximate, drop a pin

Google Maps
Parede — rocky reef shelfCascais bay · Parede
dangerous
in the headland's lee today — swell from the quarter/behind
window
dawn to ~09:00 (swimmers/surfers)
tide
mid–high (the shelf gets very shallow at low tide)
shelter
from the NW nortada (the Estoril coast faces south); open to S/SW swell
conditions
flat days only: S/SW <0.5 m; wide shallow rock shelf in front of the beach
hazard
swimming beach — in the bathing season keep the legal distance from the concessioned beach; surge on the shelf; flag buoy mandatory
access
from Parede beach by the Marginal road (Parede station ~5 min walk)

just outside the eastern boundary of the Avencas MPA (Parede↔São Pedro) — once you enter the MPA its rules apply: spearfishing needs the «Pescador Sustentável» card (mandatory course); 7.5 kg daily cap, largest fish not counted

Google Maps
Boca do Inferno — cliff platformsBoca do Inferno
dangerous
in the headland's lee today — swell from the quarter/behind
window
dawn, dead calm
tide
low–mid (spring low)
shelter
from E/S wind; Cabo Espichel blocks the south swell
conditions
ONLY true calm <0.3 m; ~10–15 flat days/year
hazard
MAXIMUM solo risk: documented deaths — two swept off by a single wave
access
cliff, no approach to the water

side platforms only

Google Maps
São Pedro do Estoril — rocky reef shelfCascais bay · São Pedro do Estoril
dangerous
in the headland's lee today — swell from the quarter/behind
window
dawn to ~09:00 (surfers/swimmers)
tide
mid–high (the shelf gets very shallow at low tide)
shelter
from the NW nortada (the Estoril coast faces south); open to S/SW swell
conditions
flat days only: S/SW <0.5 m — the shelf works as a surf reef with any south swell
hazard
surf spot — with any swell there are surfers in the water and waves breaking on the shelf; flag buoy mandatory
access
access to São Pedro do Estoril beach from the Marginal road

edge of the Avencas MPA (Parede↔São Pedro) — inside the MPA, spearfishing needs the «Pescador Sustentável» card (mandatory course); 7.5 kg daily cap, largest fish not counted

Google Maps
Gruta da Pombeira / Costa da GuiaBoca do Inferno · Gruta da Pombeira
dangerous
in the headland's lee today — swell from the quarter/behind
window
dawn, stable high-pressure
tide
low (exposes the ledges)
shelter
from N/NE/E wind; Cabo Espichel blocks the south swell
conditions
only swell <0.3–0.5 m W/SW, calm; ~5–8 days/month
hazard
ENTRAPMENT: surge pins you to the rock with a 0.3 m swell rise; the cave is NOT for solo
access
2 km trail + scramble over slippery limestone

the cave is not for a solo entry

Google Maps
Forte dos Oitavos — rock platformsCabo Raso · Forte dos Oitavos
dangerous
swell on the quarter today
window
dawn, finish before the nortada ~10–11
tide
low–mid
shelter
E/NE offshore wind; east faces of the rocks
conditions
swell <0.5 m W/NW, calm/offshore; closes out fast in NW
hazard
exposed west coast — NW washes the low platforms as the swell builds
access
from the EN247 verge

less crowded than Guincho itself

Google Maps
Farol da Guia / Laje da RamelaBoca do Inferno · Farol da Guia / Lage da Ramela
dangerous
swell on the quarter today
window
calm morning, offshore N–NE; spring — visibility
tide
mid–high on the headland faces
shelter
east flank of the headland — lee on the Cascais side
conditions
west face <0.4 m in calm; east flank works in NW
hazard
the headland tip amplifies refracted surge even in calm; a fatality in 2018
access
by the Guia lighthouse
Google Maps
Baía do Mexilhoeiro (Mussel Cove)Boca do Inferno · Baía do Mexilhoeiro
dangerous
best candidate for today
swell on the quarter today
window
dawn, first 2 h (robalo)
tide
mid→low, end of ebb
shelter
from N/NE/E wind; the cove notch refracts the swell
conditions
swell <0.5–0.7 m W/SW, calm or N wind; ~15–20 days/month
hazard
mussel rocks are lethally slippery; check the steps are exposed — that's your exit
access
stone steps ~20 m from the road

★ the best real solo candidate: a genuine margin over exposed platforms

Google Maps
OitavosCabo Raso · Oitavos (hotel)
dangerous
swell on the quarter today
window
dawn, finish before the nortada
tide
low–mid
shelter
E offshore wind; open NW exposure (like Guincho)
conditions
swell <0.5 m W/NW, calm/offshore; the hotel has an access path — easier entry
hazard
exposed NW coast — rising swell seals the exit; watch the wave sets on site
access
access right by The Oitavos hotel (Quinta da Marinha)

owner's spot — entry by the hotel; point is approximate, drop a pin if not at the access

Google Maps
Praia da ArribaArriba
dangerous
exposed head-on to the swell today
window
dawn in calm, before the nortada
tide
low–mid (rocky ends)
shelter
E offshore wind; both sections face NW
conditions
swell <0.4 m W/NW, calm; same logic as Guincho
hazard
⚠️ NOT the calm fallback it looks like — the calm fallback is Cascais bay
access
from Guincho/Arriba beach

landmark by the Arriba restaurant

Google Maps
Cabo Raso — shingle beach (east flank)Cabo Raso · Cabo Raso — east flank
dangerous
exposed head-on to the swell today
window
dawn in dead calm — scouting only
tide
avoid spring-tide currents at the headland
shelter
marginal shelter on the east flank of the headland
conditions
SCOUTING only; east pocket <0.5 m NW, dead calm
hazard
⚠️⚠️ PERMANENT TOPOGRAPHIC RIP on the west side of the headland — lethal, has killed anglers
access
shingle beach by the Cabo Raso lighthouse

scouting only, double the caution

Google Maps
Raio Verde — rocks between Oitavos and Cabo RasoCabo Raso · Raio Verde
dangerous
exposed head-on to the swell today
window
dawn in calm
tide
low–mid
shelter
E offshore wind; almost no swell shelter
conditions
swell <0.4 m W/NW, calm; narrow window
hazard
⚠️ entry/exit point UNKNOWN — land recon mandatory before entering
access
undocumented

scout from land first

Google Maps
Praia do AbanoAbano
dangerous
exposed head-on to the swell today
window
dawn in flat calm <0.3 m
tide
low–mid
shelter
E offshore wind; almost no swell shelter
conditions
ONLY <0.3 m, dead calm; same NW exposure as Guincho
hazard
⚠️ unstable cliff — rockfall; no spearfishing documentation
access
stairs above a crumbling cliff

isolated scouting candidate — only after a land recon

Google Maps
Cresmina — south headlandCresmina · Praia da Cresmina — south headland
dangerous
exposed head-on to the swell today
window
dawn in calm, before the nortada
tide
low–mid
shelter
E wind; slightly less exposed under the fort's lee
conditions
swell <0.4–0.5 m W/NW, calm; dead with swell >1 m
hazard
a 0.5 m jump in swell seals the exit; in summer, lifeguard no-go zones
access
from the Cresmina car park
Google Maps
Guincho — Ponta Alta (south point)Guincho · Praia do Guincho — Ponta Alta
dangerous
exposed head-on to the swell today
window
dawn in calm, before the nortada
tide
low–mid
shelter
E wind; slightly less than the open beach
conditions
swell <0.4 m W/NW, dead calm; dead above 1 m
hazard
⚠️ 'Pedra que Bole' — getting trapped at high water in a storm
access
south end of Guincho beach
Google Maps

SOLO is the biggest risk: underwater you can black out from lack of oxygen silently and fatally, with no one around. Solo is never truly «safe». Below are the best weather windows; carry a buoy, tell someone your plan and exit time, and any doubt — don't go.

One morning glance — and you know.

Download on theApp StoreGET IT ONGoogle Play
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≈

Surfacing

Cameras, map and reference — to hand as you come up.

Live cameras, map & reference
Cameras · live

Look at the water
right now.

Check the cam BEFORE you leave. Foam, brown/green murk, or waves washing the entry rocks = No-go. At night/in fog the cam is useless — treat it as «unknown», NOT «green».

connecting to the stream…
● LIVE↗
Guincho — Atlantic (Windy, live)live Windy player — open Atlantic home spot. Read the swell before you go.camera: windy ↗Webcams provided by windy.com - add new webcam
connecting to the stream…
● LIVE↗
Cascais Marina (Windy)Cascais marina/bay watercamera: windy ↗Webcams provided by windy.com - add new webcam
connecting to the stream…
● LIVE↗
Conceição (Windy)Conceição beach, Cascais baycamera: windy ↗Webcams provided by windy.com - add new webcam
more: Windy «Arriba» (possible angle on the rocks) ↗Webcams provided by windy.com - add new webcam
Open the seafloor map →
Reference

What's in season,
what the law says.

In season now: Sea bass, Salema, Octopus, Mullet

In season now
  • Robalo (sea bass)
    <4 m · end of ebb → start of flood · dawn/dusk
    Prime target. Shy of light — pick early/twilight windows.
  • Salema
    0–2 m · — · daytime
    Easiest target at 0–6 m. ⚠️ Do NOT eat the head/guts (ichthyosarcotoxism).
  • Polvo (octopus)
    1–6 m · high water · twilight
    Peaks in autumn. Spot the den by the pile of shells. Don't take egg-bearing females. Min. weight 750 g (DGRM).
  • Tainha (mullet)
    0–2 m · — · —
    Extremely wary; murky water HINDERS it. Opportunistic, in calm coves.
  • Santola (spider crab)
    1–10 m · low water (reef shelf exposed) · calm morning (≤force 2)
    Carapace ≥12 cm. Peaks Jul–Aug. CLOSED 15.02–15.06. Limit 2 kg/day.
Law
🦀 spider crab open (season 16.06–14.02)
  • ✓Spearfishing licence required, daily/monthly/annual (~€25/yr). Speargun = licence required. (DL 246/2000, art. 12.º + 12.º-A; fees in , .) There is no minimum age for the licence, but under-16s are exempt from holding one when fishing accompanied by a licence holder (art. 12.º n.º 2 al. b).
  • ✓Hand-gathering shellfish with NO gear — no licence; but if a speargun is on the dive, a spearfishing licence is required (DL 246/2000, art. 12.º n.º 1; ).
  • ✓Night prohibited: spearfishing only in daylight (sunset→sunrise not allowed). Artificial light as a means of finding/attracting fish is banned — a torch for safety only (, art. 8.º/3 + 3.º/5; DL 246/2000, art. 14.º n.º 1 d).
  • ✓Signalling buoy MANDATORY for spearfishing: buoy/float with an «Alfa» flag (red/orange/yellow, ≥8 L), no more than 30 m from the diver (, art. 4.º/2).
  • ✓Spearfishing daily limit: fish + cephalopods — 15 kg (excluding the largest specimen). General rod-and-line recreational fishing — 10 kg (, art. 12.º/1).
  • ✓Invertebrates (including spider crab) — 2 kg/day total (, art. 12.º/2).
  • ✓Spider crab: min. carapace 12 cm; (closed season) 15.02–15.06 — applies to recreational gathering too (, ; table).
  • ✓Min. sizes: robalo 36 cm, sargo 17 cm, dourada 19 cm, choupa 23 cm, corvina 42 cm; octopus 750 g ( + EU Reg. 2019/1241; minimum-size table).
  • ✓Grouper — fully protected, may not be taken (, art. 10.º + ).
  • ✓Breath-hold only: spearfishing may be practised in apnea alone. Scuba, rebreather and hookah are banned; the speargun may not be powered by a detonating charge or by compressed gas (DL 246/2000, art. 9.º n.º 3 — o antigo art. 6.º foi revogado).
  • ✓The catch may NOT be sold: displaying for sale, offering or selling recreational catch is prohibited — it is for the fisher, the household, or donation to charitable, scientific or museum institutions (DL 246/2000, art. 7.º).
  • ✓A loaded speargun out of the water is an offence (DL 246/2000, art. 14.º n.º 2 f). Same article: no fishing closer than the legally set distance from concessioned beaches during the bathing season (n.º 2 d), nor in places closed for health or marine-traffic reasons (n.º 2 e). The exact metres come from the regulation and the capitania — check before you go.
  • ✓Distances between people: at least 20 m from another spearfisher (, art. 6.º n.º 3) unless you agree otherwise; from a boat, 50 m from other vessels, divers and set gear (art. 6.º n.º 2); every vessel must keep 50 m from your signalling buoy and from boats flying flag Alfa (art. 7.º n.º 6). The figure that circulates — «30 m between hunters» — is wrong: 30 m is the distance to YOUR OWN buoy.
  • ✓What you may take into the water: the CAPTURE gear on a spearfishing dive is the speargun, a shellfish knife, a gaff (puxeiro) and an arrelhada (, art. 3.º n.º 3). That is not a ban on everything else: art. 4.º n.º 1 expressly allows equipment for cold protection, for buoyancy, for protection or safety and for carrying the catch, and any other equipment that does not permit the direct capture of specimens. Bait and groundbait are PROHIBITED in spearfishing (art. 5.º n.º 3). You may not carry or keep a speargun and a breathing apparatus aboard at the same time, nor carry the gun ready to fire out of the water or in a zone where spearfishing is banned (art. 3.º n.º 6). On any recreational-fishing boat the whole crew wears a lifejacket (art. 4.º n.º 3).
  • ✓Where recreational fishing is closed altogether (, art. 8.º n.º 1): in marked shipyard zones (no exception) and in aquaculture establishments — in the LATTER only, fishing is possible when the concession-holder or owner formally authorises it; the shipyard bar has no such carve-out; within 100 m of the mouth of any marked sewage outfall; over beach-concession waters, to the extent the POOC sets; and in other zones closed by the port or maritime authority. For spearfishing and boat fishing specifically (n.º 2) the navigation channels of port and river bars, the approach channels and the buoyed channels are closed. There is NO «300 m from the beach» rule on the mainland — that number comes from Madeira's own act; on the mainland the distance is set by the POOC and by the capitania's edital.
  • ✓The border rivers Minho and Guadiana: spearfishing is BANNED along both international stretches — bilateral Portugal-Spain agreements, art. 9.º n.º 3 (Minho, RAR 34/2023, in force since 26-05-2023) and art. 6.º n.º 1 (Guadiana, RAR 173/2025, in force since 07-12-2025), both reading «É proibida a pesca submarina». On the Guadiana it is also a serious offence (art. 19.º), and a 100 m strip alongside the Sapal de Castro Marim reserve is closed separately (art. 5.º). The stretches run from the confluence with the Trancoso / the Chança down to the closing line at each mouth.
  • ✓On the other Portuguese-Spanish border river stretches (outside the TIRM and the Guadiana maritime-jurisdiction zone) — Decreto 30/88, art. 6.º n.º 1: harpoons, gigs, tridents and any blunt instrument used to take fish are prohibited (al. e), as is «a pesca ou caça subaquática» with artificial light, and night fishing (al. g).
  • ✓Avencas (Parede↔São Pedro, ~8–12 km east) — spearfishing needs the «Pescador Sustentável» card (mandatory course, ); 7.5 kg daily cap, largest fish not counted (Edital 950/2024 §52). Guincho is OUTSIDE this zone.
  • •The Sintra-Cascais Nature Park covers Guincho — sub-zones/restrictions likely. Check with (pnsc@icnf.pt) or de Cascais.
  • •2026 Sintra-Cascais SAC (marine area) — trawling/dredging bans published; no confirmed point no-take at Guincho/Cabo Raso. Check the full text.
  • ⛔ Grouper (Epinephelus) — fully protected, capture PROHIBITED.
  • ⛔ Seahorses (Hippocampus) — protected.

Rules change. Before heading out, check with DGRM / ICNF / Capitania and the defeso table.

Safety protocol
  • Sets: watch the wave trains ≥15 min before entering; Hmax ≈ 2×Hs, the wash can run 50 m past the foam line. A lull >10 min with period >12 s = a big set «overdue», do NOT enter; enter right after a full set passes and re-check at minute 30.
  • Exit FIRST: find your exit AND a backup before entering. At Cabo Raso/Arriba a 0.5 m rise in swell makes a boulder exit impossible — getting pinned/unable to climb out is the main killer here.
  • Headland rip: at Cabo Raso there is a permanent topographic rip regardless of the model — locate it, enter/exit on the windward side, never swim against it.
  • Cold: wetsuit per the SST chip; the first shiver = a metabolic surge and a drop in breath-hold → get out at the first steady shiver. Cap the session at 45–60 min below 15 °C.
  • Solo discipline: buoy up; tell someone the spot and exit time; conservative breath-hold (never push it in cold/murky/surfy water); visibility <3 m — don't enter.
  • Nortada (Jun–Sep): wind builds from midday — be out of the water by ~11:00; the chop builds — get out.
  • UV 11:00–15:00 (UVI ≥6): sunscreen and cover up on the surface interval.
  • Solo is a fundamental risk (hypoxic blackout with no buddy). Any doubt = No-go.
Local guide · Cascais

Spearfishing in Cascais: spots, seasons and rules

Updated 2026-07-09 · By Oleksandr, spearfisher

Spearfishing in Cascais splits between two opposite coasts: Guincho and Cabo Raso, open Atlantic facing northwest, and the sheltered Cascais-Estoril bay behind the headland. The Guincho side only opens with groundswell under 0.5 m and a light easterly, and it closes out fast once the nortada builds. Visibility is best in spring. You need a spearfishing licence, apnea only, with a signalling buoy. On big-swell days the sheltered bay is the calm fallback. Every spot here is a rock entry, and while the bay marks can suit a careful solo diver, the exposed Guincho and Cabo Raso side is not a place to dive alone.

TL;DR

  • Best entries: Baia do Mexilhoeiro for solo diving, Forte dos Oitavos at Cabo Raso for fewer people, and Pedra da Nau in the bay as the fallback on northwest days.
  • Window: groundswell under 0.5 m, easterly offshore wind, at dawn; get out before the nortada builds around 10 or 11 am. Best visibility in spring.
  • Guincho and Cabo Raso are open ocean and close out fast; the calm fallback is the Cascais bay, never Praia da Arriba.

Best spearfishing spots in Cascais

These are all rock-entry spots with shallow hunting where sea bass and white seabream hold. Baia do Mexilhoeiro is the safest solo, Forte dos Oitavos at Cabo Raso sees fewer people than Guincho beach, and Pedra da Nau in the bay is the fallback for northwest days. The Boca do Inferno cliff platforms are left out, with documented deaths there.

SpotTypeDepthLevelAccessNotes
Baia do MexilhoeiroRocky cove (Boca do Inferno)Shallow, over the platformsIntermediate, best soloStone steps ~20 m from the roadThe best real solo candidate, with exposed platforms and a genuine safety margin. Go in only with the steps exposed, since they are your exit, and the mussel rock is slippery. It fishes 15 to 20 days a month.
Forte dos OitavosRock platforms (Cabo Raso)Shallow, along the rocksIntermediateFrom the EN247 vergeFewer people than Guincho beach. It closes out fast in a northwest swell, so finish before the nortada washes the low platforms.

Algarve

  • Vila do Bispo
  • Lagos / Praia da Luz
  • Sagres
  • Portimão / Praia da Rocha
  • Lagoa / Carvoeiro
  • Albufeira
  • Olhão
  • Faro
  • Tavira

North

  • Espinho
  • Foz do Douro (Porto)
  • Matosinhos (Porto)
  • Vila do Conde
  • Póvoa de Varzim
  • Viana do Castelo
  • Afife

Madeira

  • Porto Santo
  • Caniço / Garajau
  • Porto Moniz
  • Funchal

Azores

  • Vila do Porto
  • Ponta Delgada
  • Angra do Heroísmo
  • Lajes do Pico

All 42 spots → · spearo.app — All countries

Pedra da NauRock channels (Cascais bay)Shallow, in the rock channelsEasy, fallback optionFrom the seafront by Villa ItaliaThe easiest solo entry and the fallback when Guincho closes out; the calm alternative is the bay, never Arriba. Marina boat traffic means the flag buoy is mandatory.

When is the best time to spearfish in Cascais?

Spring gives the best visibility, when an easterly land wind holds the sea down. At dawn the first two hours by the rocks produce sea bass, which is shy of light and hunts under 4 m. Get out before the northwest nortada builds around 10 or 11 am; in summer it drives upwelling and cools the water. After heavy rain the Tagus plume can push turbid water in.

Can you spearfish at Guincho beach?

You can, but on tight conditions. Guincho and Cabo Raso are open ocean facing northwest, with rock entries and no sheltered bail-out, and they only open with groundswell under 0.5 m and a light easterly. Once the swell builds, the northwest seals the exit off the rocks, not a place for solo beginners. Treating Praia da Arriba as shelter is a common mistake: it takes the same swell. The real fallback is the Cascais bay behind the headland, busier and coarser. The Boca do Inferno cliff platforms stay off the list, with documented deaths there.

What fish can you spearfish in Cascais?

The species and minimum sizes are national, set by DGRM. Sea bass is the prime target at 36 cm, best June to October. White seabream, 17 cm, is the steadiest reef fish. Gilthead is 19 cm, black seabream 23 cm, salema 18 cm, and you must not eat the salema head or guts. Octopus has a 750 g minimum. Meagre, 42 cm, is closed nationwide through June. Grouper and seahorses are protected.

FAQ

Where can you spearfish in Cascais?

Baia do Mexilhoeiro for solo diving, Forte dos Oitavos at Cabo Raso, and Pedra da Nau in the bay as the fallback. The open-ocean cliff spots are not for hunting.

How is the water visibility in Cascais today?

It depends on swell, wind and recent rain. The clearest water comes in spring with a light easterly and groundswell under 0.5 m. After heavy rain the Tagus plume can brown it.

Do I need a license to spearfish in Cascais?

Yes. A licence is required from age 16 and costs about 25 euros a year. Hunting is apnea only; scuba is banned.

What is the minimum size for sea bass in Portugal?

Sea bass is 36 cm. Others: white seabream 17 cm, gilthead 19 cm, black seabream 23 cm, meagre 42 cm, and octopus 750 g.

How far from the beach can you spearfish in Portugal?

There is no single distance figure in the national rules. Stay clear of concessioned swimming beaches and keep the flag buoy within 30 m of you.

Sources

  • DGRM, species and minimum landing sizes
  • ICNF, protected areas and Sintra-Cascais Nature Park

Nearby towns

  • Costa da Caparica spearfishing guide
  • Dive spots near Ericeira
  • Dive spots near Sesimbra
  • Dive spots near Arrábida
  • Setúbal / Tróia spearfishing guide
Data partners
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