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.
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
no dataupdated 03:36
Chipiona — solo, off the rocks
BEST WINDOW
best weather window · solo, stay careful, run the checklist · calm conditions: swell, wind and visibility all normal
What's missing? Tell us what you'd like to see — new spots, species, data or features. We read everything.
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.
The window is only the two hours either side of high water; outside that, the place is dry land. Summer and early autumn with levante are the best season, and early morning means fewer people walking on the walls. Between sunset and sunrise hunting is not allowed.
tide
This is where the tide is everything: at spring low water the stone corral walls stand completely dry and the sea retreats far out, while at high water they vanish under three metres. Only a few hours separate the two states, so check the tide table before you leave home.
shelter
In front of the Regla sanctuary the coast faces southwest and the lighthouse point takes a little of the northwest off it, though not much. With an easterly levante it goes calm and — by local standards — clear; with poniente and the whole 205–300° arc it breaks over the corral walls.
conditions
The bottom is shallow and the water is nearly always greenish from the Guadalquivir's input; two metres of visibility counts as good. The only decent window is high water on a levante day, when outside water pushes in and you can actually see inside the pools between the walls.
hazard
The corrales are protected heritage and a traditional fishing structure: you may not fish or take anything inside their walls, and at high water they sit submerged exactly where you swim. The stone is covered in oysters that cut and green weed that slips. Andalusia's Decreto 205/2023 applies and night hunting is banned.
access
You drop down from the promenade beside the Regla sanctuary, take the steps to the beach and enter over sand on the stretch clear of walls. Go once the tide is well up: at low water you would cross hundreds of metres of slab and oyster shell to reach the sea. Never climb out over a wall with swell running.
Stone tidal traps and low rock off Regla; shallow bottom, exposed to W swell, variable visibility.
It is only worth it after several dry days with levante, when the river eases, and always around high water. Spring, right after the rains, is the worst time of year here. Remember that hunting between sunset and sunrise is not allowed.
tide
With nearly three metres of range and such a gently sloping bottom, low water pulls the sea hundreds of metres out and leaves no depth at all. You only go in around high water or on a strong flood; on the ebb, the river's worst water also runs south along this shore.
shelter
This stretch, south of the lighthouse on the way to Costa Ballena, is a little better protected from the northwest because Punta del Perro acts as a screen. It is still open to the southwest and to the 205–300° sector, and with an established poniente it fills with foam and sand within hours.
conditions
It is the murkiest of the spots around Chipiona: a low bottom of sand and loose stone with the Guadalquivir plume sitting over it much of the year. One metre to a metre and a half is normal, and only a long levante with no rain gets you past two. You hunt close in, almost by feel.
hazard
Poor visibility is the main risk: you will not see a board or a small boat coming, so the float has to be highly visible and close by. Rod anglers fish from the shore and there are lines out; do not cross in front of them. Decreto 205/2023 applies: licence from 14, no scuba gear, no powder or gas guns.
access
This is the easiest access in the area: parking by the Camarón and Las Canteras beach bars, a ramp and a few metres of sand to the water. You walk in without climbing anything, though at low water it is a long trudge. Come out by the same ramp: the rest of the shore is low slippery rock.
Low rocky ground to the north; easy entry, shallow; water often murky from the Guadalquivir.
The best days are dry levante spells in summer and early autumn, always with high water falling early in the morning. Avoid the week after a storm or heavy rain up the catchment: the river takes its time to clear. Spearfishing at night is banned.
tide
On springs, with about three metres of range, low water uncovers a wide flat rock platform and there is practically nowhere left to swim. The spot only works from half flood until a while after high water; on the flood, slightly cleaner water also pushes in from the west.
shelter
The Montijo stretch, north of Chipiona town, faces west-southwest (250°) and takes the poniente full on; the bad sector runs from 205° to 300°. With an easterly levante the sea goes glassy and you can work the low rock even with little water over it.
conditions
The Guadalquivir rules here: the water is nearly always green and loaded, one or two metres of visibility, and three counts as an excellent day. After rain and on the ebb the river plume covers everything. Accept it — in Chipiona you hunt by knowing the rock, not by seeing far.
hazard
The platform is oyster rock with sharp edges and pools: it cuts feet, and a small swell will drag you across it, so wear hard boots and gloves. In summer there are bathers on the sandy stretches and you should keep well away. The Andalusian limit of 5 kg live or 4 kg gutted per licence per day applies, and selling the catch is forbidden.
access
Park on the Montijo seafront north of town and go down any of the concrete ramps to the sand. Walk to the edge of the platform and get in through one of the sand channels, never by jumping off the slab. On a falling tide, do not let yourself end up on the far side of the platform.
Shallow rocky beach; mixed low-rock bottom, sea bream and gilthead, exposed to the westerly (Poniente, W-SW).
Summer and early autumn, with several days of levante and high water first thing, is the only combination that pays for the trip. In winter the point is usually unusable. Hunting is banned from sunset to sunrise, and here you want to be out of the water in daylight, because the channels are disorienting.
tide
Round the point you get the biggest tidal range of the area, close to three metres on springs, plus the stream that curls past the cape towards the Guadalquivir mouth. At low water an enormous platform appears and the channels turn into powerful drains; dive near slack.
shelter
The point juts west beneath the Chipiona lighthouse, the tallest in Spain, which is exactly why it is the most battered spot around: there is no shelter from the 205–300° sector or from due west. Only a settled levante calms it, and even then some residual sea wraps around the point.
conditions
When the levante has been blowing for days you see a bit more here than inside the bay, three or four metres over the shoals and channels. The trade-off is that the Guadalquivir still tints the water, and a single day of poniente is enough to leave everything white and churned.
hazard
Off the point lie dangerous shoals, long marked by the Salmedina beacon, and the area is littered with wrecks: do not push offshore without local knowledge. Traffic bound for the Guadalquivir passes through, so keep a visible float and stay within 25 metres of it. Pollack is closed from 1 January to 30 April.
access
Leave the car around the lighthouse, on the Paseo Costa de la Luz, and drop onto the rock at one of the open gaps between the stairways. Enter through a water-filled channel rather than over the slab, and pick your exit before you get in. If the point is breaking there is no safe way out: move somewhere else.
Rocky ground below the lighthouse; rock shallows and stone tidal traps, moderately exposed to the W.
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.
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≈
Surfacing
Cameras, map and reference — to hand as you come up.
✓Spearfishing licence mandatory; the AUTONOMOUS COMMUNITY issues it (not the State) and it is valid in the exterior waters of the whole coast. Free-diving only — scuba is banned (, art. 3).
✓Spearfishing catch may not be sold or traded — it is non-commercial fishing ().
✓Night prohibited: spearfishing only in daylight (sunset to sunrise not allowed) — , art. 16.d.
✓Marker buoy MANDATORY: mark your position with a clearly visible buoy and stay within 25 m of it — , art. 15.
✓Never keep the speargun loaded out of the water — , art. 16.a.
✓Keep at least 300 m from professional fishing vessels that are working — , art. 12.b.
✓The state act (, art. 16) bans, for spearfishing: a loaded gun out of the water; explosive/electric points and lamps (hand torches excepted); underwater scooters; night — from sunset to sunrise. Plus art. 12 b), d), e): 300 m from professional fishing vessels, light as an attractant, poisons/explosives. A ban in a PARTICULAR reserve, port or beach comes from that place's OWN instrument (the reserve's order, the autonomous community's rules, the port authority) — see the no-take zones on the map and your community's rules.
✓Min. sizes by ( + + EU 2019/1241): sea bass 42 cm (rec.) / 36 cm / 25 cm Mediterranean / 22 cm Canaries; gilthead bream 20 cm and white seabream 23 cm in the Mediterranean (EU 2019/1241); grouper 45 cm. See your zone's species card.
✓Only species in Annex I of may be taken; keeping, landing or transporting undersized specimens is prohibited.
✓The licence needs a medical fitness certificate for free-diving and civil-liability insurance (or a federative licence, which includes it). Mandatory in the Basque Country/Murcia/Asturias/Galicia; the federative licence covers it in Galicia/Balearics/Cantabria; the Canaries and Andalusia do NOT require it for the individual licence (a responsible health declaration). Minimum age generally 16 (14 in Andalusia).
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. On a rocky/boulder shore a 0.5 m rise in swell can make the exit impossible — getting pinned/unable to climb out is the main killer.
Headland rip: prominent points often have 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.
Afternoon wind: on many coasts the wind builds from midday — plan to be out of the water by midday; 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.
FAQ — spearfishing in Chipiona
Where can I spearfish in Chipiona?
Chipiona has rock entry points such as Playa de Montijo (roquedo), Punta del Perro / Faro de Chipiona and Las Canteras / Camarón. Chipiona sits at the Guadalquivir mouth, and the river often clouds the water; base visibility is around 5 m. Below you'll find each spot (access, shelter and hazards) and today's forecast.
When is the best season in Chipiona?
Mostly summer. Atlantic tides return here (real range) and the day is decided by the wind — levante or poniente; near the Guadalquivir mouth the water turns murkier. Best on a poniente, small-sea day.
How cold is the water in Chipiona?
Atlantic: ~15–22 °C. A 5 mm suit for most of the season, 3 mm only at peak summer. Near the Guadalquivir mouth and over sand, visibility drops.
Is Chipiona good for a beginner?
Needs care: Atlantic tides with current, wind-driven days and poor visibility near river mouths. Best on a poniente, small-sea day; reading the tide helps a lot.
Do I need a licence in Chipiona?
Yes — in Chipiona you need a recreational sea-fishing licence (issued by the autonomous community); breath-hold only (no scuba), with a marker buoy and no night diving. See the guide.
✓There is no fixed national catch cap (, art. 5 delegates it to the communities); the standard is 5 kg/person/day, with 1 specimen allowed not to count (Canaries — Decreto 182/2004, art. 38.3; Murcia; Galicia; Basque Country). Protected species have per-piece quotas.
✓Only a harpoon is allowed — hand-held or mechanically propelled, with one or several points (, art. 14.1). Carrying spearfishing gear and underwater breathing equipment aboard AT THE SAME TIME is prohibited (art. 14.2) — an offence in itself, even if you dived on a breath hold.
✓Spain is not one jurisdiction. The licence is issued by a coastal autonomous community, and you must comply with the rules of the administration on whose littoral you are in the water: «debiendo cumplir la normativa establecida por la administración en cuyo litoral se realice la actividad» (, art. 13). Interior waters — inside the straight baselines: bays, coves, rías, the whole coastal strip — are the community's competence; exterior waters are the State's. So the age, the days of the week, the distances and the are found in your community's act, not in the state one.
•Andalusia: spearfishing licence; requires a medical certificate (NO civil-liability insurance — a responsible health declaration replaces it, ); applied for at the Junta de Andalucía. Confirm the exact procedure page at juntadeandalucia.es.
✓Andalusia: minimum licence age (incl. spearfishing/class 4) — 14; under-14s only surface modalities accompanied by an adult (Decreto 205/2023, art. 4.2/4.3). No civil-liability insurance: a responsible health declaration (, Annex IV).
✓Bans: RMIP Cabo de Gata-Níjar and Alborán island — spearfishing banned (see zones).
✓Andalusia: licence from age 14 (Decreto 205/2023, art. 4.2), minors accompanied (art. 5.3). The cap is 5 kg live weight or 4 kg gutted per licence per day (art. 9.1). Selling the catch (art. 12.a), powder or gas guns (art. 12.l), autonomous equipment and underwater scooters (art. 12.m) are prohibited. Buoy red or orange with the «Alfa» flag (art. 20.2); keep 250 m from people on the beach, bathing places, busy areas, port areas and navigation channels, and the same from set gear and professional vessels (art. 20.3). Allowed every day of the year, but only from sunrise to sunset (art. 22).
⛔ Seahorses (Hippocampus) — protected (RPE).
Rules change and are REGIONAL. Before heading out, check with the competent autonomous community (licence) and the min-size table in force.
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