Double ArchMarsalforn
borderlinein the headland's lee today — swell from the quarter/behind
- window
- tide
- shelter
- hazard
- access
Twin stacked arches from 20 to 50 m; a dramatic wall with grouper and dentex, exposed to N/NE.
Google MapsMarsalforn spearfishing forecast — wind, swell, visibility, tides & live cameras
5.3
wave 0.8 m
visibility3m
Today — right on the edge — wave, wind and visibility.
Sources: IPMA · NDBC · Copernicus — high confidence · data 18:31
Sources & confidence
- Sources
- IPMA · NDBC buoys · Copernicus Marine
- Method
- Model consensus, read per window
- Freshness
- Re-read every hour, per coast
Compiled by the spearo sea-state engine
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.
- 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.
- Wind & gusts
- Speed and gusts, hour by hour — wind speed and an onshore push chop the surface and cut visibility.
- Tide phase
- Timing and range of the tide, calibrated per coast — big spring tides pull the verdict toward caution.
- Water temperature
- Sea-surface temperature — sharply cold water vetoes a green verdict.
- Currents & outflow
- Direction and drift of the current — it pushes you, and it drags turbid coastal water across where you dive.
- Rain runoff & air clarity
- Rain muddies the water inshore through land runoff, while fog and haze cut visibility at the surface.
- 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 — forced red; the window is closed after dark.
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
Surface
Wind, wave and the swell windows — when to go and the best hours.
spearo.app
calmupdated 18:31
Marsalforn — solo, off the rocks
caution — solo off the rocks is risky, check on site · steep wind-wave — choppy surface, careful on entry
wave 0.8 mwind 24, gusts 42 km/hvisibility ~4 mwindow 18:00–21:00
today, best window 18:00–21:00
fish · Visibility 4 m · Water 29.3°C
confidence medium · verdict for the selected day
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.
Wednesday · today2026-07-22
06:02–20:16 · first quarter
▼ 02:00▼ 05:00▲ 11:00▼ 18:00▲ 20:00 · 0.1 m
Hours (06→20)
18
Day's trends
Tide-0.36 m
Wave0.80 m
Wind5 km/h
Water29 °C
fish activity: moonset 00:13 · moderate · moon underfoot 07:20 · high · moonrise 14:35 · moderate · moon overhead 19:40 · high
Conditions window18:00–21:00
caution — solo off the rocks is risky, check on site fish
Hs 0.76 mperiod 4.1 swind 24→42surge 0viz 3 m
0.76 mup to ~1.52 · 255° at an angle
4.1 sswell moderate
24→42gusts 42 km/h
0weak surge
0.19m/s
3 mrecent swell
29.3°C5 mm + hood
▲20:00tide turn near
Atmosphere30 kmlandmarks visible
highmoon overhead
- steep wind-wave — choppy surface, careful on entry
- strong wind 24 km/h, gusts 42 — caution
- dawn/dusk
confidence mediumtwilight
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: 1152 spots across 189 stretches of coast — mainland Portugal, Madeira and the Azores.
See all spotsThe 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
Marsalforn BayMarsalforn
borderlinein the headland's lee today — swell from the quarter/behind
- window
- tide
- shelter
- hazard
- access
Shallow bay to 11 m; sheltered from S, an easy training and warm-up spot, sandy with reef patches.
Google MapsQbajjar BayMarsalforn
borderlinein the headland's lee today — swell from the quarter/behind
- window
- tide
- shelter
- hazard
- access
Shallow salt-pan reef bay next to Marsalforn; reef to 10 m, easy entry, sheltered from S.
Google MapsReqqa PointMarsalforn
borderlinein the headland's lee today — swell from the quarter/behind
- window
- tide
- shelter
- hazard
- access
Steep wall dropping 17→60+ m, the prime Gozo spearfishing wall; big grouper, dentex, rays and hunting barracuda. Fully exposed to N.
Google MapsWied il-GħasriMarsalforn
borderlinein the headland's lee today — swell from the quarter/behind
- window
- tide
- shelter
- hazard
- access
Narrow inlet with a wall and cave; dramatic gorge, exposed to NW so pick a calm day, grouper and dentex.
Google MapsXwejni BayMarsalforn
borderlinein the headland's lee today — swell from the quarter/behind
- window
- tide
- shelter
- hazard
- access
Reef and boulders to 14 m by the Xwejni salt pans; sargo, octopus and cuttlefish, exposed to N.
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.
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».
Reference
What's in season,
what the law says.
In season now
- dusky grouperĊerna (dusky grouper): no licence needed, but it is highly vulnerable — please release it. Scuba and night spearfishing are banned.
- bluefin tunaBluefin tuna: permit only (ICCAT/BCD quota). Do not take without authorisation — heavy fines.
- white seabream
- gilthead seabream
- common dentex
- common dolphinfish
Law
- ✓No licence is required for shore or breath-hold spearfishing. Using an aqualung (scuba) and night spearfishing are both banned (EU Reg. 1967/2006 & 2019/1241).
- •Each year Transport Malta closes designated swimmer/bathing zones to spearfishing for the season (roughly summer to mid-October) — stay well clear of buoyed bathing areas and check the current notice to mariners.
- ✓Dusky grouper (ċerna) is a species of national concern — releasing it is advised. Bluefin tuna may be taken only with a special authorisation (ICCAT/BCD).
- ⛔ Fan mussel (Pinna nobilis) — strictly protected, taking/disturbing prohibited (mass die-off from a pathogen).
- ⛔ Date mussel (Lithophaga lithophaga) — harvesting strictly banned (destroys the reef).
- ⛔ Seahorses (Hippocampus), loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) and monk seal (Monachus monachus) — protected, taking/disturbing prohibited.
Rules change and the seasonal bathing-zone closures are set yearly by Transport Malta. Before heading out, check with the Department of Fisheries & Aquaculture (servizz.gov.mt) and the current notice to mariners; stay well clear of buoyed bathing areas.
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.
Spearfishing in Marsalforn: spots, seasons and rules
Spearfishing around Marsalforn splits into two different Gozo days. Reqqa Point and Double Arch are the dramatic north-coast wall marks, exposed to north and north-east weather and dropping into serious water. Marsalforn Bay, Qbajjar Bay and Xwejni Bay are shallower reef or bay options, with Marsalforn Bay described as sheltered from the south and suitable for training or warm-up. Malta does not require a recreational licence for shore or breath-hold spearfishing. The hard limits are different: no scuba, no night spearfishing, stay clear of annual Transport Malta bathing-zone closures, release ċerna where possible, and do not touch bluefin tuna without special authorisation.
TL;DR
- Marsalforn is a north-Gozo plan: Reqqa Point and Double Arch are exposed wall marks, while Marsalforn Bay, Qbajjar and Xwejni are shallower reef options.
- No recreational licence is required for shore or breath-hold spearfishing in Malta and Gozo, but scuba and night spearfishing are banned.
- Transport Malta closes designated swimmer and bathing zones by annual notice, roughly through the main summer season into mid-October. Do not invent fixed dates; check the current notice.
- Ċerna, dusky grouper, is a national concern and release is advised. Bluefin tuna requires special authorisation.
Where can you spearfish around Marsalforn, Gozo?
The Marsalforn list is unusually varied for a small area. Reqqa Point is the prime Gozo wall, fully exposed to the north. Double Arch is another exposed wall system. Marsalforn Bay, Qbajjar and Xwejni are shallower bay or salt-pan reef choices, while Wied il-Għasri is a narrow inlet that needs a calm day because it is open to the north-west. No formal safety rating is supplied for these marks, so the table keeps the language close to the recorded habitat and exposure.
| Spot | Type | Depth | Level | Access | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reqqa Point | Steep north-coast wall | Wall dropping 17 to 60+ m | Exposed wall mark | North Gozo coast | Prime Gozo wall with big grouper, dentex, rays and hunting barracuda listed. Fully exposed to north weather. |
| Double Arch | Twin stacked arches and wall | Arches from 20 to 50 m | Deep wall conditions | Off Marsalforn north coast | Grouper and dentex are listed. The mark is exposed to north and north-east, so it is not a fallback when the bay looks rough. |
| Marsalforn Bay | Shallow bay with sand and reef patches | To 11 m | Training and warm-up where legal | Marsalforn waterfront | Sheltered from the south. During the annual bathing-zone period, stay out of designated swimmer areas and check the current Transport Malta notice. |
| Wied il-Għasri | Narrow inlet with wall and cave | Wall and cave setting | Calm-day only | Gorge inlet west of Marsalforn | Grouper and dentex are named, but the inlet is exposed to north-west. Pick a genuinely calm day and plan the exit. |
| Qbajjar Bay | Shallow salt-pan reef bay | Reef to 10 m | Easy entry when zones allow | Next to Marsalforn salt pans | Sheltered from the south with an easy entry. Treat buoyed bathing areas as closed during the annual notice period. |
| Xwejni Bay | Reef and boulders by salt pans | To 14 m | North-exposed shallow reef | Xwejni salt pans | Sargu, octopus and cuttlefish are listed. It is exposed to north, so surface calm matters. |
Can you spearfish in Marsalforn Bay near swimmers?
Do not plan Marsalforn Bay by a fixed calendar date or a guessed distance. Each year Transport Malta closes designated swimmer and bathing zones to spearfishing for the season, roughly from summer into mid-October. The bay itself is shallow and sheltered from the south, which is why it is attractive for warm-up dives, but that same convenience brings swimmers and buoys. Check the current notice to mariners, stay well clear of buoyed bathing areas, and move to a legal reef mark if the bay is active with bathers.
What fish can you spearfish in Gozo (dott, accjol, sargu)?
The Gozo notes around Marsalforn name grouper, dentex, rays, barracuda, sargu, octopus and cuttlefish. The national species list also includes awrata, dentici and lampuka. Ċerna, dusky grouper, is not presented as a trophy target here: it is a species of national concern and release is advised. Bluefin tuna is permit-only under special authorisation, so do not treat passing pelagic fish as normal recreational catch.
When is the best season to spearfish in Gozo?
No fixed best season is given for Marsalforn. The practical choice is exposure. North and north-east weather rule out Reqqa Point and Double Arch quickly. North-west makes Wied il-Għasri a poor idea. Marsalforn Bay and Qbajjar are sheltered from the south, but the annual bathing-zone notices can make the easy water off-limits for the season. On Gozo, a legal quiet day is often a better filter than a month name.
Do you need a licence to spearfish in Malta and Gozo?
No recreational licence is required for shore or breath-hold spearfishing in Malta and Gozo. That does not make it unregulated. Scuba or aqualung use for spearfishing is banned, and night spearfishing is banned. Protected species such as fan mussel, date mussel, seahorses, loggerhead turtle and monk seal must not be taken or disturbed. Bluefin tuna requires special authorisation, and annual Transport Malta bathing-zone notices decide which swimmer areas are closed to spearfishing during the season.
FAQ
Where can you spearfish around Marsalforn, Gozo?
The listed marks are Reqqa Point, Double Arch, Marsalforn Bay, Wied il-Għasri, Qbajjar Bay and Xwejni Bay, with exposure changing sharply by wind direction.
Can you spearfish in Marsalforn Bay near swimmers?
Stay out of designated or buoyed bathing areas. Transport Malta sets swimmer-zone closures annually, roughly for the summer season into mid-October, so check the current notice.
What fish can you spearfish in Gozo (dott, accjol, sargu)?
The local notes list grouper, dentex, barracuda, sargu, octopus and cuttlefish. Ċerna, dusky grouper, should be released, and bluefin tuna needs special authorisation.
When is the best season to spearfish in Gozo?
No month is specified. For Marsalforn, choose by north-coast exposure, calm water and the current annual bathing-zone notice.
Do you need a licence to spearfish in Malta and Gozo?
No. Shore and breath-hold spearfishing do not require a recreational licence in Malta or Gozo.
Is scuba spearfishing allowed in Malta?
No. Using scuba or an aqualung for spearfishing is banned.
Is night spearfishing allowed in Malta?
No. Night spearfishing is banned.
Which zones are off-limits to spearfishing in Malta?
Designated swimmer and bathing zones closed by Transport Malta annual notices are off-limits during the notified season, and protected species must not be taken or disturbed.
Sources
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