Today — sit it out — wave, wind and visibility.
Sources & confidence
Compiled by the spearo sea-state engine
The verdict comes from seven water factors and hard safety gates — not ten tabs. Go or stay.
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.
Safety gates
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
Wind, wave and the swell windows — when to go and the best hours.
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.
Visibility and what drives it — post-storm clearing, river plume, temperature and the thermocline.
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: 1152 spots across 189 stretches of coast — mainland Portugal, Madeira and the Azores.
See all spotsRelief and bottom type, tides, and the depths of each spot.
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.
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 mapDeep kelp reef in the Tasman NP bay; 5–15 m, crayfish, abalone, bastard trumpeter. Clear cold water — experienced, sheltered bay entry.
Google MapsReef and kelp under the tessellated pavement; 3–10 m, crayfish, abalone, wrasse. Sheltered NW corner, easy entry.
Google MapsSea caves and deep kelp walls; 5–20 m, crayfish, butterfly perch. Advanced boat/shore — spectacular vertical reef.
Google MapsSOLO 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.
Cameras, map and reference — to hand as you come up.
Rules change and vary BY STATE. Before heading out, check with your state's fisheries (NSW DPI, Fisheries QLD, VFA, DPIRD WA, PIRSA, NRE Tas, NT Fisheries) and the marine-park zoning map.
Spearfishing around Eaglehawk Neck is about cold water, kelp and exposure. Pirates Bay near The Blowhole is the easiest shore plan, with reef and kelp in moderate depth. Fortescue Bay gives clearer water and deeper kelp inside a national park bay, while Waterfall Bay is a serious wall and cave coast that needs settled swell and strong exit judgement. Tasmania rules apply: scalefish limits, protected species and area restrictions.
This coast can look calm from above while surge works through kelp and caves below. Choose the entry by exit quality, not by scenery. No mapped hard no-take zones cover this coast, but Tasmanian marine reserves and research areas still need checking.
| Spot | Type | Depth | Level | Access | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pirates Bay / The Blowhole | Reef and kelp below rock platforms | About 3-10 m | Intermediate, best first choice | Shore entry near the sheltered NW corner | The easiest listed option, with kelp edge, wrasse, abalone habitat and cray country nearby. It still needs low swell and a visible exit, because the rock platforms become slippery and surge-prone. |
| Fortescue Bay | Sheltered bay with deep kelp reef | About 5-15 m | Experienced shore or boat diver | Bay entry inside Tasman National Park | Clear cold water and better depth make Fortescue attractive for strong divers. Expect kelp, reef fish and licence-sensitive shellfish country. Keep the plan conservative if offshore swell is wrapping into the bay. |
| Waterfall Bay | Sea caves, walls and kelp ledges | About 5-20 m | Advanced only | Advanced shore or boat approach | A spectacular but unforgiving coast. The vertical reef and cave terrain can trap surge, and a small forecast mistake feels larger here. Use it only with calm water, a partner and a clear exit plan. |
The Tasman Peninsula often has better clarity than sheltered estuary water, but it pays for that clarity with exposure. E and NE swell are the main problems for this side of the coast, pushing surge through kelp, boulders and cave mouths. Light offshore wind and a small swell period give the best chance. Winter can be clear but cold; summer is kinder on the body but not immune to wind chop.
Check current Fishing Tasmania rules before the trip. Spearing scalefish on reef does not open rock lobster or abalone, which sit under separate rules. Size, bag and possession limits apply, so confirm the current table before keeping fish.
No hard reserve covers the three listed entries, but that is not a substitute for the Fishing Tasmania map. Marine Nature Reserves are generally no-fishing areas, and some research or refuge areas have specific gear rules. Treat any uncertain boundary as closed until the official map is clear. This matters on trips that range farther down the Tasman Peninsula.
Expect cold-water reef life: wrasse, bastard trumpeter country, perch on deeper walls, and shellfish habitat in the kelp. White shark, grey nurse shark, seahorses and weedy seadragons are protected. The biggest hazards are surge, kelp entanglement, cliff access and temperature. A thick suit, float, knife and conservative turn-around point matter more here than chasing one extra ledge.
For ordinary scalefish by spear, check current gear and catch rules. Rock lobster and abalone sit under separate rules, so confirm those before diving.
Yes, among the listed spots. It has the gentlest access, but still needs low swell and a safe rock exit.
No. Waterfall Bay is an advanced wall and cave coast where surge and exits can become serious quickly.
Generally no. Marine reserves are protected areas, and fishing by any method is usually prohibited unless a specific restricted allowance applies.
E to NE swell, wind chop and surge through kelp are the main visibility and safety problems for these entries.
Leave your email — and the moment a window opens at Eaglehawk Neck / Tasman, we'll send the go / no-go verdict. Email is all we need.
Every covered town has its own live forecast, cameras and entry points. Choose where you're diving.
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