Conditions clear — no active alerts
Finding the pulse of the reef...
This week
snorkel & freedive readBest window today: 1–8 PM.
Next 12 hours
Clear now, partly cloudy moving in around 8 PM.
Conditions
Visibility, water, current, and wind. The in-water read.
Visibility
Clear
Calm wind
Water
89°
skins / none
Current
0.2 kt
slack
Surge
4.05s
some surge
Wind
1 mph
onshore E
Visibility is an estimate — wind, rain, tide & water alerts.
The spot
The things that stay true when the weather changes.
No. Sombrero Reef, FL is reached by boat, so it is not a shore snorkel.
Sombrero Reef, FL runs roughly 5 to 30 feet deep in the area people use.
Sombrero Reef, FL suits beginners in ordinary conditions.
Calm seas and light wind give the best visibility on this open-water reef. Charters run weather permitting.
Checked 2026-07-19. Sources: NOAA Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, NOAA FKNMS sanctuary preservation area rules, Captain Hook's Marathon.
Tides & Sky
When the water moves, and how bright the night.
Calmest water was
8:00 AM – 10:00 AM
High slack · Early light · Least current
That window has passed — the water settles again at the next slack tide.
High
9:42 AM
2.542ft
Low
3:45 PM
0.253ft
Full Moon
100%
Daylight: 12h 44m · UV 9 Very high
Life
The reef keeps its own calendar.
Yellow-crowned Night Heron · Anhinga · Green Heron · Ruddy Turnstone · Brown Pelican +7 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
Now. The water is alive and waiting.
Snorkel: clear viz, warm 89 F water, 2-3 ft waves, 1 mph onshore wind.
Best window was: 8:00 AM–10:00 AM · High slack · Early light · Least current