Farol da BarraSalvador
dangerousexposed head-on to the swell today
- window
- tide
- shelter
- hazard
- access
Rocky point at the bay mouth, 5–12 m, shore; channel boat traffic. Coords approx.
Google MapsSalvador spearfishing forecast — wind, swell, visibility, tides & live cameras
2.5
💧 Water should clear by Thursday (~1d)
visibility1m
Today — sit it out — wave, wind and surge pounding. 💧 Water should clear by Thursday (~1d)
Sources: IPMA · NDBC · Copernicus — high confidence · data 13:39
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 13:39
Salvador — solo, off the rocks
don't go · wave 1.6 m (occasionally up to ~3.1 m)
wave 1.6 m head-onwind 16, gusts 37 km/hsurge pounding the rocksvisibility ~1 m
today, best window 12:00–15:00
fish · Visibility 1 m · Water 26.2°C
confidence low · 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
05:56–17:25 · first quarter
▼ 03:00▲ 09:00▼ 16:00▲ 22:00 · 0.8 m
Hours (06→20)
12
15
18
Day's trends
Tide0.44 m
Wave1.32 m
Wind14 km/h
Water26 °C
fish activity: moonset 00:03 · moderate · moon underfoot 06:00 · high · moonrise 11:48 · moderate · moon overhead 18:20 · high
Conditions window12:00–15:00
don't go fish
Hs 1.56 mperiod 6.4 s head-onwind 16→37surge 10.5viz 1 m
1.56 mup to ~3.12 · 114° head-on
6.4 sswell moderate
16→37gusts 37 km/h
10.5pounding the rocks
0.17m/s
1 mrecent swell
26.2°C5 mm + hood
▼16:00tide falling
Atmosphere26 kmlandmarks visible
moderatemoonrise
- wave 1.6 m (occasionally up to ~3.1 m)
- strong wind 16 km/h, gusts 37 — caution
- ebb — weaker inshore
confidence lowday
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
ItapuãSalvador
dangerousexposed head-on to the swell today
- window
- tide
- shelter
- hazard
- access
Rocky reef on the ocean face, 4–10 m, shore. Coords approx.
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
Open the seafloor map →What's in season,
Reference
What's in season,
what the law says.
In season now
- fat snookState closed seasons: BA 15 May–31 Jul; ES 1 May–30 Jun; PR 1 Nov–31 Dec; SP — none.
- common snookState closed seasons: BA 15 May–31 Jul; ES 1 May–30 Jun; PR 1 Nov–31 Dec; SP — none.
- dusky grouper⚠️ Closed season 1 Nov–28 Feb (national). Size 47–73 cm. Vulnerable — go easy.
- gag grouper
- black grouper
- comb grouper
- snowy grouper⚠️ Closed 1 Sep–31 Oct (SE/S). Deepwater grouper.
- bluefish
- whitemouth croaker
- black drum
- lebranche mulletManaged by annual quotas/seasons. Min 35 cm; estuary bars may be restricted in season.
- king mackerel
- serra Spanish mackerel
- mahi-mahi
- greater amberjack
- crevalle jack
- silver porgy
- lionfishInvasive, spreading in NE Brazil. Culling encouraged. Venomous spines — careful; flesh edible.
- Atlantic goliath grouper🚫 Full moratorium since 2002, indefinite (CR, Portaria MMA 148/2022). Do not take, release it. Fine R$700–100,000 + gear seizure.
Law
- ✓A is required (category B – boat covers apnea spearfishing), issued on gov.br by the . Exempt: under-18 accompanied, men 65+/women 60+.
- ✓Apnea only: spearing on a tank/scuba is banned (artificial breathing apparatus prohibited — IBAMA rule).
- ✓Goliath grouper (mero, Epinephelus itajara): total moratorium since 2002, renewed (in force 2026+). Never a legal target — capture/transport/sale is an environmental offence.
- ✓Closed seasons (vary by state): true grouper & badejo in the N/NE 1 Aug–30 Sep; bluefish in the S/SE ~1 Dec–31 Mar; robalo reopens after 31 Jul (state-dependent). Mind minimum sizes.
- ⛔ 🚫 Goliath grouper (Epinephelus itajara) — indefinite moratorium (CR). Not a legal target: do not take, release.
- ⛔ Hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna lewini/zygaena) and angel sharks (Squatina spp.) — red list, take banned. Don't shoot.
- ⛔ Sea turtles, whales/dolphins, seahorses — protected, taking/disturbing prohibited.
Rules change and vary by state. Before heading out, check on gov.br (recreational licence, MPA) and the state closed seasons/sizes; apnea only, goliath grouper is banned.
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 Salvador: spots, seasons and rules
Spearfishing in Salvador belongs on the ocean face, from Farol da Barra toward Itapuã. The inner Todos os Santos Bay side is murky and should stay out of the hunting plan. The outside coast has shore rocks and reefs around 5 to 12 m, warm 25 to 29 °C water, and targets such as jacks, dorado, snook, trevally, octopus and bream. Barra channel adds boat traffic, while the 2.3 m mesotidal swing can change visibility fast. MERO TOTAL MORATORIUM applies. Use the gov.br recreational licence, fee-exempt only for accompanied minors and for men 65+/women 60+, and dive apnea-only.
TL;DR
- Salvador works on the ocean face from Farol da Barra toward Itapuã, not the murky inner bay side.
- Local water is 25 to 29 °C, with shore reefs and rocks in the 5 to 12 m range.
- A roughly 2.3 m mesotidal range moves visibility, and Barra channel traffic is a real constraint.
Best spearfishing spots in Salvador
Stay on the open-sea side, with a visible float and no overlap with swimmers or navigation. Farol da Barra is a channel-edge dive, while Itapuã is more ocean-facing reef.
| Spot | Type | Depth | Level | Access | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Farol da Barra | Rocky reef at the bay entrance | 5 to 12 m | Intermediate | Shore entry, approximate coordinates | Structure and fish are present, but boats and current can end the plan. Keep out of navigation lines. |
| Itapuã | Ocean-facing rocks and reef | 4 to 10 m | Intermediate | Shore entry, approximate coordinates | Best with light wind in the dry season and enough room away from swimmers. |
What conditions matter in Salvador?
Dry season and light wind are the better local pattern. The roughly 2.3 m tide range changes current, foam and water color over the reef, so timing matters. If inner-bay turbidity is pushing toward the mouth, stay on the ocean face or cancel. Nationally, the gov.br licence is required, spearing on scuba is banned, and goliath grouper is fully off-limits. Bahia snook defeso is stated as 15 May to 31 July, so on 9 July 2026 treat snook as closed unless confirmed otherwise.
FAQ
Do you need a licence in Salvador?
Yes. Use the gov.br recreational fishing licence service. Only accompanied minors and men 65+/women 60+ are fee-exempt.
Can you hunt inside Todos os Santos Bay?
No. The local plan keeps spearfishing on the clearer ocean face.
How deep is Farol da Barra?
The stated local range is 5 to 12 m.
Is snook open in July in Bahia?
The stated Bahia closed season runs 15 May to 31 July, so treat 9 July 2026 as closed unless confirmed.
Can you spear goliath grouper?
No. Goliath grouper, called mero, is under total moratorium.
Sources
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