MARINE REPORT / 72 HOURS

Michaelmas Cay Snorkel Report Today

Australia · Updated Wed 00:07 (AEST) · Source: Snapshot

The skinny

Go in the best window Data updated Wed 00:07 (AEST)

Michaelmas Cay has a usable snorkeling window around Wed 10:00. The main thing to watch is tide/current.

Right now (forecast)

Poor · 0.0/10

Wed 00:00 (AEST)

Later today

Good · 6.1/10

Wed 13:00 (AEST)

Next three days

Good · 6.7/10

Fri 11:00 (AEST)

Model estimates using Open-Meteo; not observations or safety guarantees. Check official advisories and conditions at the beach.

Score: 6.1/10

Best time: Wed 10:00

Main risk: Tide/Current

Best morning signal: Wed 10:00 (Good).

Best afternoon signal: Wed 13:00 (Good). Peak afternoon wind is about 3.9 m/s.

Email me when it is good Compare nearby spots

Best nearby spots later today

Hastings Reef 7.1/10 Good · Wed 14:00 Moore Reef 6.1/10 Good · Wed 14:00 Fitzroy Island 6.1/10 Good · Wed 10:00

Sunrise

05:37

Sunset

18:21

Water

27.3°C

Max air

26.7°C

Sky

Clear

28% cloud

Good model window in the next 72 hours

Next good model window: Wed 10:00–16:00 (35% of the next 72h meets the model threshold)

3-day planner Best available Show data

3-day planner

Wednesday

✅ Good conditions

Main blocker: Tide/current

Thursday

✅ Good conditions

Main blocker: Tide/current

Friday

✅ Good conditions

Main blocker: Tide/current

Best available hours

The next good model window starts at Wed 10:00 and lasts until 16:00.

Why this verdict

Main blockers across the next 72 hours:

  • Tide/current (71 hours)
  • Darkness (44 hours)

Jellyfish drift risk

Drift estimate from wind, swell, current and warm water.

Low · 34/100

Low peak drift risk around Wed 06:00.

warm water supports seasonal jellyfish activity; surface drift/current is noticeable; local shoreline exposure is not mapped yet.

Sightings override the model: if you see small purple jellyfish with long trailing tentacles, treat them as sting-capable and give them space.

Upcoming high tides

Next early morning high tide: Wed 05:00

Wed 05:00, Wed 17:00, Thu 06:00, Thu 18:00, Fri 07:00, Fri 18:00

Nearby snorkel spot map

Compare nearby spot forecasts for later today before choosing a beach.

Hastings Reef Good · Wed 14:00 7.1/10 Moore Reef Good · Wed 14:00 6.1/10 Fitzroy Island Good · Wed 10:00 6.1/10 Green Island Good · Wed 14:00 5.9/10 Flynn Reef Good · Wed 13:00 5.5/10

Forecast spot map

Use the map to see where the compared spots sit. Open a card for the hourly forecast.

Hastings Reef Moore Reef Fitzroy Island Green Island Flynn Reef
  1. Hastings Reef
  2. Moore Reef
  3. Fitzroy Island
  4. Green Island
  5. Flynn Reef

This is a location diagram, not a marine chart. Check the shore and local signs in person.

Nearby alternatives in Australia

Hastings Reef

11 km away

✅ Good

Arlington Reef

13 km away

✅ Good

Green Island

17 km away

✅ Good

Moore Reef

18 km away

✅ Good

Advanced forecast data

Viewing historical data

Mon 00:00 – Thu 00:00 (AEST)

Previous day Yesterday Next day Live

Snorkel Score (selected 24h)

Best snorkel score is 0.51 around Mon 15:00; 9 of 24 hours are good, fair, or excellent.

Score trend, higher is better. Excellent ≥ 0.72, good 0.55–0.72, fair 0.35–0.55.

Conditions (24h trends)

Tap a chart to load just that series.

0/24 sampled hours stay at or below 0.36m (range 0.46m to 0.5m).

Wind is at or below 5.4m/s in 24/24 sampled hours (range 2.02 to 4.66m/s).

Tides range from -0.56m to 1.62m; 2 of 24 hours are in or near peak slack windows.

72-hour historical overview
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Scoring methodology (for technical users)

We score each hour from 0 to 1 using daylight and these weighted components:

  • Wave height (35%): best below 0.36m, then decreases as it rises.
  • Wind speed (25%): best below 5.4m/s, lower is better.
  • Sea surface temperature (15%): best within 20.6°C to 30.4°C.
  • Tide and currents (15%): best around slack/high-tide windows.
  • Daylight (10%): visibility is better in daylight, so night hours score lower.
Detailed hourly data table
Time Wave (m) Wind (m/s) Sea temp (°C) Status
Mon 00:00 0.50 · high 2.41 · good 26.50 · good Poor
Mon 01:00 0.50 · high 2.33 · good 26.40 · good Poor
Mon 02:00 0.50 · high 2.02 · good 26.40 · good Poor
Mon 03:00 0.48 · high 2.22 · good 26.40 · good Poor
Mon 04:00 0.48 · high 2.72 · good 26.40 · good Poor
Mon 05:00 0.48 · high 2.96 · good 26.40 · good Poor
Mon 06:00 0.48 · high 3.38 · good 26.50 · good Poor
Mon 07:00 0.48 · high 2.90 · good 26.50 · good Poor
Mon 08:00 0.48 · high 2.98 · good 26.50 · good Poor
Mon 09:00 0.46 · high 3.21 · good 26.60 · good Poor
Mon 10:00 0.46 · high 3.61 · good 26.60 · good Fair
Mon 11:00 0.46 · high 3.75 · good 26.70 · good Fair
Mon 12:00 0.46 · high 3.47 · good 26.80 · good Fair
Mon 13:00 0.46 · high 3.24 · good 26.90 · good Fair
Mon 14:00 0.46 · high 3.13 · good 27.10 · good Fair
Mon 15:00 0.46 · high 3.05 · good 27.10 · good Fair
Mon 16:00 0.46 · high 3.15 · good 27.20 · good Fair
Mon 17:00 0.46 · high 2.95 · good 27.20 · good Fair
Mon 18:00 0.46 · high 2.68 · good 27.10 · good Fair
Mon 19:00 0.46 · high 3.17 · good 27.00 · good Poor
Mon 20:00 0.46 · high 3.72 · good 26.90 · good Poor
Mon 21:00 0.46 · high 3.94 · good 26.80 · good Poor
Mon 22:00 0.46 · high 4.66 · good 26.80 · good Poor
Mon 23:00 0.46 · high 4.43 · good 26.70 · good Poor
Tue 00:00 0.48 · high 4.30 · good 26.70 · good Poor
Tue 01:00 0.48 · high 3.61 · good 26.60 · good Poor
Tue 02:00 0.48 · high 3.50 · good 26.60 · good Poor
Tue 03:00 0.48 · high 3.29 · good 26.60 · good Poor
Tue 04:00 0.48 · high 3.30 · good 26.60 · good Poor
Tue 05:00 0.48 · high 3.68 · good 26.60 · good Poor
Tue 06:00 0.50 · high 4.08 · good 26.60 · good Poor
Tue 07:00 0.50 · high 4.83 · good 26.60 · good Poor
Tue 08:00 0.52 · high 4.92 · good 26.60 · good Poor
Tue 09:00 0.50 · high 5.42 · high 26.60 · good Poor
Tue 10:00 0.52 · high 5.41 · high 26.70 · good Fair
Tue 11:00 0.54 · high 5.45 · high 26.70 · good Fair
Tue 12:00 0.54 · high 5.53 · high 26.80 · good Fair
Tue 13:00 0.56 · high 5.10 · good 27.00 · good Fair
Tue 14:00 0.56 · high 4.84 · good 27.10 · good Fair
Tue 15:00 0.54 · high 4.35 · good 27.10 · good Fair
Tue 16:00 0.54 · high 3.27 · good 27.20 · good Fair
Tue 17:00 0.54 · high 3.00 · good 27.20 · good Fair
Tue 18:00 0.52 · high 3.24 · good 27.10 · good Fair
Tue 19:00 0.50 · high 3.43 · good 26.80 · good Poor
Tue 20:00 0.50 · high 2.96 · good 26.80 · good Poor
Tue 21:00 0.48 · high 3.32 · good 26.70 · good Poor
Tue 22:00 0.48 · high 3.47 · good 26.70 · good Poor
Tue 23:00 0.48 · high 3.88 · good 26.60 · good Poor
Wed 00:00 0.50 · high 4.13 · good 26.60 · good Poor
Wed 01:00 0.50 · high 3.48 · good 26.60 · good Poor
Wed 02:00 0.50 · high 3.40 · good 26.60 · good Poor
Wed 03:00 0.52 · high 3.48 · good 26.60 · good Poor
Wed 04:00 0.52 · high 4.14 · good 26.60 · good Poor
Wed 05:00 0.52 · high 4.32 · good 26.60 · good Poor
Wed 06:00 0.52 · high 4.89 · good 26.60 · good Poor
Wed 07:00 0.48 · high 4.20 · good 26.60 · good Poor
Wed 08:00 0.48 · high 4.51 · good 26.60 · good Poor
Wed 09:00 0.50 · high 3.89 · good 26.60 · good Poor
Wed 10:00 0.50 · high 4.08 · good 26.70 · good Fair
Wed 11:00 0.50 · high 4.87 · good 26.70 · good Fair
Wed 12:00 0.48 · high 4.80 · good 26.80 · good Fair
Wed 13:00 0.48 · high 4.12 · good 26.90 · good Fair
Wed 14:00 0.48 · high 3.75 · good 27.00 · good Fair
Wed 15:00 0.50 · high 3.64 · good 27.10 · good Fair
Wed 16:00 0.50 · high 3.18 · good 27.10 · good Fair
Wed 17:00 0.50 · high 3.09 · good 27.10 · good Fair
Wed 18:00 0.50 · high 2.80 · good 27.10 · good Fair
Wed 19:00 0.50 · high 2.55 · good 27.00 · good Poor
Wed 20:00 0.54 · high 3.36 · good 27.00 · good Poor
Wed 21:00 0.56 · high 2.97 · good 26.90 · good Poor
Wed 22:00 0.56 · high 2.75 · good 26.80 · good Poor
Wed 23:00 0.56 · high 3.36 · good 26.80 · good Poor