Finding the pulse of the reef...
This week
snorkel & freedive readBest window today: 8 AM–4 PM.
Next 12 hours
Clear now, storms moving in around 5 AM.
Conditions
Visibility, water, current, and wind. The in-water read.
Visibility
Murky
Recent / incoming rain
Water
86°
skins / none
Current
0.2 kt
slack
Surge
4s
minimal
Wind
10 mph
cross NE
Visibility is an estimate — wind, rain, tide & water alerts.
The spot
The things that stay true when the weather changes.
Yes. John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, FL is snorkelable directly from shore.
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, FL runs roughly 5 to 45 feet deep in the area people use.
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, FL suits beginners in ordinary conditions.
Captains choose the day's reef by sea state, and the Christ of the Abyss site is only run when the water allows it. A wetsuit is worth having once the water drops below about 78 F.
The entry fee covers parking, and the park has 351 spaces. Admission runs $8 per vehicle plus a 50 cent per person county surcharge.
Checked 2026-07-18. Sources: NOAA Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, Visit Florida, Coral Reef Park Company, the park concession.
Tides & Sky
When the water moves, and how bright the night.
Best in-water window
10:26 AM – 12:26 PM
High slack · Sun high · Least current
Slack tide means least current and the clearest water — best around the turn, in good light.
High
11:26 AM
1.997ft
Low
6:11 AM
0.209ft
Waxing Crescent
8%
Daylight: 11h 38m · UV 7 High
Life
The reef keeps its own calendar.
White Ibis · White Ibis · Green Heron · Osprey · Yellow-crowned Night Heron +6 more
Regulations
Take only what the season allows.
Our detailed season & limit tables cover the South Florida Atlantic coast so far — rules differ by coast and in the Keys, so check the official source before you fish:
Florida saltwater regulationsOfficial source: FWC· opens the agency site
Not perfect, but the reef is calling.
Snorkel: murky viz, warm 86 F water, 1-2 ft waves, 10 mph cross wind.
Best window: 10:26 AM–12:26 PM · High slack · Sun high · Least current