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 mapDrop-off 30–40 m off Qawra; amberjack and barracuda hunt the edge, best in clear NW swell-free water.
Google MapsSheltered bay with reef and seagrass to 15 m; calm on most winds, sargo and gilthead on the edges.
Google MapsHeadland with a cave and north reef with an arch, 30–40 m; the Imperial Eagle wreck-conservation area sits offshore — keep off the wreck.
Google MapsShallow 12 m reef inside the bay; easy, sheltered ground for early season and freediving drills.
Google MapsReef to 25 m off the islands; sargo, bogue and the odd dentex, moderate exposure 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.
Cameras, map and reference — to hand as you come up.
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.
St Paul's Bay spearfishing is a shore-entry mix of easy bay reef and exposed Qawra edges. Sirens and Mistra Bay are the calm-water choices for shallow sargo and gilthead work, while Qawra Point, L-Cave and St Paul's Reef need a clean sea without N to NE swell. Malta does not require a licence for shore or breath-hold spearfishing, but the freedom is narrow: no aqualung, no scuba-assisted hunting and no night spearfishing. Protected zones also matter. The Imperial Eagle wreck-conservation area lies offshore from Qawra, and wreck water should be avoided unless the current rules and boundary are clear.
The bay gives a useful progression from sheltered reef to deeper edges. Sirens and Mistra are the forgiving starts. Qawra Point has cave and north reef structure, but it points into the swell and sits near a protected wreck area. St Paul's Reef is a better clear-water day than a rough-water compromise.
| Spot | Type | Depth | Level | Access | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sirens (St Paul's) | Shallow reef inside the bay | To 12 m | Beginner to intermediate | Shore entry | Easy early-season ground for sargo and basic freediving rhythm. Keep well clear of swimmers, boats and buoyed bathing lines. |
| Mistra Bay | Sheltered bay reef and seagrass | To 15 m | Beginner to intermediate | Shore entry | Calmer than Qawra on many days. Work reef edges for sargo and gilthead rather than crossing the middle of the bay in boat traffic. |
| Qawra Point / Fra Ben Cave | Headland, cave and north reef | 30-40 m edge nearby | Intermediate | Shore entry, calm water only | Interesting structure but close to the Imperial Eagle wreck-conservation area offshore. Stay off the wreck and verify the protected-zone boundary before hunting nearby reef. |
The north aspect makes N and NE swell the main shutdown. If Qawra is white or surging, Mistra and Sirens may still be workable for shallow practice, but visibility can fall inside the bay after chop. Early mornings are the cleanest practical slot before swimmers and boats increase. A slight offshore breeze helps the Qawra side; strong Majjistral or Gregale turns the exposed points into a poor choice.
For ordinary shore and breath-hold spearfishing, no licence is required. That does not permit a scuba shortcut: using an aqualung for spearfishing is banned, and night spearfishing is banned. Transport Malta sets seasonal swimmer and bathing closures, so buoyed beaches should be avoided. Malta also has conservation zones and wreck-conservation areas; near Qawra, the Imperial Eagle zone is the key protected-zone warning.
Sargo, gilthead bream and bogue are the realistic shallow targets in the bay. Dentex, amberjack and barracuda belong more to the clearer outer edges and require stronger diving. Dusky grouper is vulnerable in Malta and release is advised. Do not disturb fan mussels, date mussels, seahorses, turtles or monk seals. Seagrass edges are worth patience, but avoid dragging anchors or floats through sensitive bottom.
No licence is required for shore or breath-hold spearfishing in Malta.
No. Aqualung or scuba use for spearfishing is banned.
Do not hunt the wreck. It is in a wreck-conservation area and needs a protected-zone check.
Mistra Bay is usually the calmer choice compared with Qawra Point.
Yes. Stay well clear of buoyed bathing areas and seasonal closures set by Transport Malta.
Leave your email — and the moment a window opens at St Paul's Bay, we'll send the go / no-go verdict. Email is all we need.
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