Conditions clear — no active alerts
Finding the pulse of the reef...
This week
snorkel & freedive readBest day this week: Tuesday, 10 AM–2 PM. Still an early read.
Next 12 hours
Clear now, partly cloudy moving in around 9 PM.
Conditions
Visibility, water, current, and wind. The in-water read.
Visibility
Murky
Onshore SSE chop
Water
88°
skins / none
Current
0.2 kt
slack
Surge
4.1s
some surge
Wind
9 mph
onshore SSE
Visibility is an estimate — wind, rain, tide & water alerts.
The spot
The things that stay true when the weather changes.
No. Molasses Reef, FL is reached by boat, so it is not a shore snorkel.
Molasses Reef, FL runs roughly 10 to 45 feet deep in the area people use.
Molasses Reef, FL suits beginners in ordinary conditions.
Fairly calm seas, since this is an open-water reef reached by boat. Good current flushing keeps visibility high on many days.
Checked 2026-07-19. Sources: NOAA Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, NOAA FKNMS sanctuary preservation area rules, Sea Dwellers Dive Center.
Tides & Sky
When the water moves, and how bright the night.
Best in-water window
2:08 PM – 4:08 PM
Low slack · Sun high · Least current
Slack tide means least current and the clearest water — best around the turn, in good light.
High
9:33 PM
2.548ft
Low
3:46 PM
0.263ft
Full Moon
100%
Daylight: 12h 45m · UV 9 Very high
Life
The reef keeps its own calendar.
Brown Pelican · Little Blue Heron · Green Heron · Green Heron · Royal Tern +3 more
Regulations
Take only what the season allows.
We've only loaded detailed seasons & limits for South Florida so far. For US waters, check the official source before you fish:
US waters saltwater regulationsOfficial source: NOAA Fisheries· opens the agency site
Not perfect, but the reef is calling.
Snorkel: murky viz, warm 88 F water, 2-3 ft waves, 9 mph onshore wind.
Best window: 2:08 PM–4:08 PM · Low slack · Sun high · Least current