Today — right on the edge — 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 mapSouth/leeward-coast reefs, 3–15 m; clear water, some current on the points. Grouper and snapper. Coords approximate.
Google MapsSand-and-reef cay to the NW with a sheltered lagoon; protected anchorage and shallows 2–10 m. Barracuda and snapper. Coords approximate (rounded).
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 are loosely enforced. Before heading out, check with INSOPESCA (underwater permit, FVAS card + RIF); PN Morrocoy and other park zones are restricted.
La Tortuga is not Margarita with fewer people. It is an uninhabited federal dependency reached by boat from Higuerote or by light aircraft, with no services to fix mistakes. The leeward side is the draw: Cayo Herradura and the southern reefs offer clear water, protected anchoring and 2-15 m reef. The caution is legal and logistical. Its management is being reviewed alongside the Los Roques PORU in 2026, so confirm the area is still open before planning any speargun trip.
Treat this as a self-sufficient expedition. Fuel, water, communications and permission matter before fish.
| Spot | Type | Depth | Level | Access | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cayo Herradura | Northwest cay and reef | 2-10 m shallows | Intermediate with boat logistics | Protected anchorage in suitable weather | Snapper and barracuda in clear water. Check current and anchoring first. |
| Southern reefs | Leeward reef coast | 3-15 m | Upper intermediate | Boat-only logistics | Grouper and snapper on low relief, with current on points and no shore support. |
It is currently framed as a federal dependency, not a national park, but the rules may tighten as management plans are reviewed. Confirm current opening with INSOPESCA, FVAS contacts or a local captain. The formal frame references INSOPESCA, FVAS, RIF and DAEX carry paperwork; practice may be loose, but remoteness makes documents more important.
No, but its management status should be checked before a trip.
No. Plan as self-sufficient for water, fuel and communication.
The south to southwest leeward face and Cayo Herradura.
Snapper, grouper, barracuda and lionfish, with restraint on slow-growing fish.
INSOPESCA/FVAS paperwork and DAEX speargun carry status.
Leave your email — and the moment a window opens at La Tortuga, 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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PhilippinesWhat's missing? Tell us what you'd like to see — new spots, species, data or features. We read everything.
transparency ~15 m · satellite, yesterdaysatellite estimate · may differ right at the shore
