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 mapSheltered bay reef with the HMVS Cerberus breakwater; 2–6 m, snapper, whiting. Cerberus is a protected historic wreck — dive around it.
Google MapsBasalt reef off Brighton; 2–5 m, snapper, calamari, whiting. Easy shore entry, best on clear neap tides.
Google MapsBayside reef — Ricketts Point Marine Sanctuary, NO-TAKE. Weedy reef, banjo rays, look only.
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.
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».
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 in Melbourne is not an ocean swell hunt. Port Phillip Bay is sheltered, shallow and wind-sensitive, so the right day is usually a clear, quiet bay day rather than a big-swell gap. Ricketts Point at Beaumaris is a Marine Sanctuary and must be treated as no-take. For legal shore dives, Black Rock and Half Moon Bay offer reef and breakwater edges, while Brighton and Green Point give shallow basalt and weed reef. A Victorian Recreational Fishing Licence, current limits and marine protected area rules all apply.
The east side of Port Phillip can be productive in small water, but it is easy to overrate a calm surface. Wind-stirred sand, poor visibility and swimmers are the usual limits. Start with the no-take map, then choose a legal reef with a clean exit and enough separation from boats, piers and bathing areas.
| Spot | Type | Depth | Level | Access | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ricketts Point (Beaumaris) | Marine sanctuary reef | Mostly shallow reef under 5 m | Closed to spearfishing | Shore access at Beaumaris | A high-quality snorkel site with rays, reef fish and rockpools, but not a hunting location. Fishing and spearfishing are prohibited in the sanctuary, and spear guns are not permitted in Victorian marine protected areas. |
| Black Rock / Half Moon Bay | Sheltered bay reef and breakwater | About 2-6 m | Accessible intermediate | Shore entry near Half Moon Bay | A practical legal option when visibility opens. Snapper, whiting and reef species move along the weed and rubble. The HMVS Cerberus is a protected historic wreck, so dive around the area with care and do not disturb it. |
| Brighton reef / Green Point | Shallow basalt and weed reef | About 2-5 m | Accessible, condition-dependent | Shore entry from the Brighton foreshore | Best on clear neap tides with little wind across the bay. It is close to busy foreshore water, so a visible float and conservative gun handling matter as much as fish sign. |
Port Phillip Bay can go from workable to milky without ocean swell. The common cause is wind pushing chop across shallow sand and weed, especially from the west and southwest on this shoreline. Clear neap tides, light wind and a stable forecast are better than chasing one tide change. After strong bay wind, give the bottom time to settle before judging the water from shore.
No. Ricketts Point Marine Sanctuary is closed to fishing and spearfishing. It is one of Melbourne best-known snorkel spots precisely because the reef is protected. Treat the boundary as a hard line, and do not use it as a backup when Black Rock or Brighton are dirty. Parks Victoria also states that spear guns are not permitted within Victoria marine protected areas.
This is shallow bay reef, so think snapper movement, King George whiting on sand and weed edges, calamari around seagrass and other small reef species. Yellowtail kingfish are possible but not the everyday plan. Victorian size and bag limits decide keepers. Seahorses, seadragons, protected sharks and sanctuary wildlife are look-only.
A Victorian Recreational Fishing Licence is required. VFA lists spear guns and hand spears as gear that can be used only in certain marine waters, so area restrictions matter. Marine national parks and sanctuaries are no-take, and Port Phillip also has historic wreck protections and busy shared water. Keep the float visible, stay out of swimming zones and unload before leaving the water.
Yes. A Victorian Recreational Fishing Licence is required.
No. Ricketts Point is a no-take marine sanctuary and spearfishing is prohibited.
It can be outside protected areas, but check current VFA rules, wreck restrictions and local safety conditions first.
Light wind, clear neap tides and settled bay water. Wind chop over shallow sand quickly reduces visibility.
No. Parks Victoria states spear guns are not permitted within Victoria marine protected areas.
Leave your email — and the moment a window opens at Melbourne (Port Phillip Bay), 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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