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 11:36
Conil de la Frontera — solo, off the rocks
BEST WINDOW
still far out — recheck closer to the date · calm conditions: swell, wind and visibility all normal
wave 0.4 m head-onwind 9 km/hvisibility ~5 mwindow 06:00–15:00
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.
Full Atlantic tide: about three metres on springs and close to three and a half at the extremes, and it shows a lot here because the sand bank is so gentle. At low water the sand widens and the low rock on the sides comes out. On the ebb there is current in the harbour entrance: do not put yourself in the middle of it.
shelter
The cove sits right against the Conil fishing harbour, and the breakwater together with the Roche shoulder cuts a good part of the W-SW sea: that is why it is the plan B when the rest of the coast is impossible. With a really hard poniente the swell finds its way in through the entrance anyway. Levante here blows off the land and leaves it smooth.
conditions
It is not the clearest water around: harbour traffic and propellers stir the sand, and after heavy rain it goes brown. Even so, when there are two metres of sea outside there is usually something to see here over the low rock. If the fleet is going in and out, wait for the movement to pass.
hazard
This is a working harbour: professional boats are operating and you must stay 300 m from them, besides never getting into the entrance channel or the port waters. The buoy is essential because from a deck nobody sees you. Andalusian cap of 5 kg live or 4 kg gutted, and selling the catch is prohibited.
access
Park by the harbour or in the cove car park and walk down the ramp to the sand, one of the easiest accesses in Conil. Get in off the sand and work toward the northern side, away from the harbour entrance. Come out at the same place and never cross in front of the breakwater.
Semi-sheltered cove by the Conil harbour; low rock and sand, easy entry.
Here you get a real Atlantic tide: around three metres on springs and close to three and a half at the extremes. At low water the ledges at the foot of the cliff come out and the coves double in size; at high water some of them lose their beach entirely. Check the table before you go down or you end up trapped under the wall.
shelter
The coves open under the ochre cliffs of Cabo Roche, facing west-southwest, so the poniente and the SW sea come straight in and around 265 degrees they hammer them. An easterly levante, on the other hand, drops off the Pinar de Roche pine wood and leaves the cove water like oil: that is the classic Conil window.
conditions
After an Atlantic storm the green suspension sits inside the coves for several days, because the sand bottom never quite settles. With two or three days of levante the water clears over the rock and you get a reasonable view. The rule is simple: if it breaks at the mouth of the cove, there is milk inside.
hazard
The Roche cliff is soft sandstone and it crumbles: do not sit under the wall or leave your gear at the base. The commonest risk is getting cut off by the rising tide in a cove with no high exit. Buoy mandatory, pollack closed from 1 January to 30 April, and the Andalusian cap of 5 kg live or 4 kg gutted.
access
Park at the Pinar de Roche or at the individual cove car parks and go down by wooden stairs and sand paths; some stairways close for works or after rockfalls. You get in off the cove sand, no acrobatics needed. Plan the exit around the table: at high water some coves have no dry ground left to come out on.
Rocky coves below the Roche lighthouse; rock drop-offs, sea bream and gilthead, exposed to the westerly (Poniente, W-SW).
Faro de Roche / Punta de RocheConil de la Frontera
no data
window
—
tide
A three-metre range on springs, extremes near three and a half, and on a headland like this that turns into current: on big tides the flow sweeps around the point and you have to plan the dive as a drift, with the buoy always ahead of you. At low water the ledges at the base come out and the drop-off is closer to hand.
shelter
The lighthouse point sticks out to the west and so it takes everything from that quarter: with a poniente there is no shelter at all, the sea wraps around both sides of the head. With an easterly levante it is the other way round and it becomes the cleanest and deepest spot on the Roche coast. It is a narrow-window place.
conditions
The head picks up long swell even with not a breath of wind: the sign to read here is the line of white water over the point, not the wind forecast. After a long calm the water over the deeper rock is about the best Conil offers. If the swell is running, the sand from the sides clouds everything.
hazard
In spring, roughly April to June, the Conil and Barbate almadrabas are set: enormous net arrays with boats working around them, you must keep 300 m from professional vessels and under no circumstances go near the gear. Add the current around the head and the swell that arrives with no wind. Buoy always.
access
Leave the car near the lighthouse or at the Pinar de Roche and follow the clifftop path to the point where the rock steps down, on the northern face. Get in over the slabs at mid tide, never with a jump. And if there is swell running do not come out on the head: swim back to the nearest cove.
Rocky ground by the lighthouse; deeper drop-offs, exposed to W swell.
This is where you really see the Costa de la Luz tide: about three metres on springs, close to three and a half at the extremes. The ebb uncovers wide sand banks and the low flat rock, and on this coast the old stone corrales also dry out, protected heritage that is not to be fished. The fish move up onto the platform on the flood.
shelter
This is open Conil beach facing west-southwest, and from the poniente there is nowhere to hide: 265 degrees comes in dead ahead and builds surf over the flat rock. The small Fontanilla step only gives a little lee on its northern side. With an easterly levante the sea lies down and that is when you work it.
conditions
A town beach with a lot of sand: as soon as anything breaks the visibility drops and it is not worth it. What saves the outing is the stone platform, where the water holds better and where the gilthead come in. With a light levante and a few days without sea you get just enough to work the flat rock.
hazard
The main danger here is not the sea but the people: it is a bathing beach, you must keep well clear of swimmers and never shoot toward the shore. Buoy clearly visible, always within 25 m of it. Sea bass measures 36 cm in this southern stretch, and the stone corrales are heritage: look and do not touch.
access
Park in town or at the La Fontanilla car park and walk down the ramp to the sand, a short and comfortable access. Best to get in on a mid or high tide, so the swim out to the stone is short. At low water it means a long walk over the sand flats before you reach the platform.
La Fontanilla rocky ground; gilthead on spring tides and a light easterly, moderately exposed.
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.
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».
✓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.
Local guide · Conil de la Frontera
Spearfishing in Conil de la Frontera: spots, seasons and rules
Updated 2026-07-09 · By Oleksandr, spearfisher
Conil is a west-facing Atlantic setup. Cala del Aceite is the easiest entry, with low rock, sand and partial shelter. La Fontanilla has a specific local pattern: gilthead on spring tides and a light Levante. Roche and the lighthouse ledges are more exposed to Poniente and west swell. The legal split is Andalusia plus Gulf of Cádiz sizes, including 36 cm seabass.
TL;DR
Easiest start: Cala del Aceite when access and bathing limits are clear.
Main weather risk: Poniente and west swell around Roche.
Legal split: Andalusian licence, medical certificate, Gulf of Cádiz size table.
Best legal spearfishing spots near Conil de la Frontera
These shore-entry zones should only be used with settled sea, a visible buoy and confirmed local limits.
Spot
Type
Depth
Level
Access
Notes
Cala del Aceite
Semi-sheltered cove by the Conil harbour
Shallow rock and sand
Careful beginner
Easy shore entry
Semi-sheltered cove, low rock and sand. Good first check. Avoid port and bathing limits.
La Fontanilla
La Fontanilla rocky ground
Shore rock in shallow water
Intermediate
Shore entry with a clear exit route
Rocky ground with gilthead on spring tides. Light Levante. Andalusian licence required.
Calas de Roche
Rocky coves below the Roche lighthouse
Rock ledges and drop-offs
Intermediate
From the cove, away from bathing areas
Rocky coves under the lighthouse. Avoid W-SW Poniente. Gulf of Cádiz sizes apply.
Faro de Roche
Rocky ground by the lighthouse
Deep rocky ledges
Intermediate
Shore entry with a clear exit route
Deeper rocky ledges. West swell sensitive. Check access and sea state.
Conditions and season essentials
The bad sector runs from south-southwest to west-northwest, with west worst. Use the Playa de la Fontanilla webcam to check surf and water colour. Cala del Aceite is semi-sheltered by the Conil harbour area, with low rock and sand, but port and bathing restrictions still matter. La Fontanilla is moderate exposure and can be interesting on spring tides with light Levante. Calas de Roche have rocky ledges with sargo and gilthead but take W-SW Poniente. Faro de Roche has deeper ledges and west swell exposure. Andalusia requires a spearfishing licence and medical certificate.
✓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.
FAQ
What is the easiest Conil entry?
Cala del Aceite, because it is semi-sheltered with easy entry.
What is the local tide note?
La Fontanilla can hold gilthead on spring tides and light Levante.
What wind is worst?
Poniente and west swell.
What licence applies?
An Andalusian spearfishing licence with a medical certificate.
Spain