Bahamas · Grand Bahama / Freeport
Best Time to Dive in Grand Bahama / Freeport, Bahamas
26.47°N 78.65°W
The wildlife shows no season worth planning around, so it comes down to the weather: go February to June. The wider season runs December to July.
- Best time
- Feb–Jun
- Water
- 25–30 °C
- Visibility
- 20–35 m
- Season runs
- Dec–Jul
- Dived from
- day boat
- Tidal range
- 0.7–1.1 m
- Species logged
- 7
Where it is
| Site | Best months |
|---|---|
| Grand Bahama / Freeport | Feb–Jun |
| Tiger Beach | Oct–Jan |
111 km across · coastline from Natural Earth 10m
Diving in Grand Bahama / Freeport, Bahamas — monthly breakdown
A year of scuba diving conditions at a glance. Hover a month to isolate it.
| January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conditions | Moderate | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Good | Moderate | Poor | Poor | Poor | Good |
| Water temp (°C) | 25 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 27 | 26 |
| Visibility (m) | 20–30 | 20–30 | 25–35 | 25–35 | 25–35 | 25–35 | 25–35 | 25–35 | 25–35 | 25–35 | 20–30 | 20–30 |
| Marine life | Steady | Busy | Busy | Busy | Steady | Steady | Busy | Busy | Steady | Steady | Busy | Busy |
| Best time | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak |
Excellent Good Moderate PoorPeak season Feb–Jun
Long-term averages, 2016–2025. Visibility is estimated from satellite chlorophyll-a. Water temperature is the surface mean; it is cooler at depth.
The Grand Bahama / Freeport, Bahamas diving season
August · Shoulder season
1 monthJFMAMJJASOND
- Water temperature
- 30–30 °C
- Visibility
- 25–35 m
- Rain
- 21 days a month
Diving conditionsSeas are usually flat. The wind eases. It rains more.
September to November · Off season
3 monthsJFMAMJJASOND
- Water temperature
- 27–30 °C
- Visibility
- 25–35 m
- Rain
- 16 days a month
Diving conditionsSeas stay mostly calm. Rain is frequent topside.
December to July · Peak season
8 monthsJFMAMJJASOND
- Water temperature
- 25–30 °C
- Visibility
- 25–35 m
- Rain
- 13 days a month
Diving conditionsSeas stay mostly calm. It rains less.
Marine lifeTiger shark (hit-or-miss) peaks at Grand Bahama / Freeport, Bahamas in these months.
- Water temperature is satellite sea-surface temperature, so expect it cooler below the thermocline.
- Visibility is estimated from satellite chlorophyll-a.
Bahamas water temperature and weather
163 underwater observation records · 26 surveyed years of ocean data · 10 years of sea temperature
Water & weather
Grand Bahama / Freeport, Bahamas water temperature by month
The dashed line is the monthly average. Eight days in ten fall inside the band.
10th to 90th percentile rangemonthly mean
2
rough days a month
Seas top 1.5 m on 6% of days. Enough to cancel a day boat
1
blowy days a month
Gusts over 40 km/h, about where a day boat stays in port
14
wet days a month
2 of them bring heavy rain
| Month | Swell | Gusts over 40 km/h | Wet days | Heavy rain | Air | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 1.6 m | 10% | 11 | 2 | 23 °C | 10.5 h |
| February | 1.4 m | 5% | 9 | 2 | 24 °C | 11.1 h |
| March | 1.5 m | 1% | 10 | 2 | 25 °C | 11.8 h |
| April | 1.4 m | 1% | 11 | 2 | 26 °C | 12.6 h |
| May | 0.9 m | 1% | 16 | 3 | 28 °C | 13.3 h |
| June | 1.0 m | 1% | 20 | 4 | 29 °C | 13.7 h |
| July | 0.9 m | 0% | 19 | 3 | 30 °C | 13.5 h |
| August | 1.0 m | 1% | 21 | 3 | 31 °C | 12.9 h |
| September | 0.9 m | 4% | 21 | 3 | 30 °C | 12.1 h |
| October | 1.4 m | 3% | 17 | 3 | 28 °C | 11.4 h |
| November | 1.6 m | 3% | 10 | 2 | 26 °C | 10.7 h |
| December | 1.4 m | 4% | 10 | 2 | 25 °C | 10.3 h |
Swell is the rough end of the month: nine days in ten come in under it. Sea temperature covers 10 years, waves 4.
Pick your week
48 weeks from the daily record. Darker is better, against this site's own year. Pick a month for the detail.
| Week 1 | January week 1: Good | February week 1: Excellent | March week 1: Excellent | April week 1: Excellent | May week 1: Excellent | June week 1: Good | July week 1: Excellent | August week 1: Poor | September week 1: Poor | October week 1: Poor | November week 1: Poor | December week 1: Excellent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 2 | January week 2: Moderate | February week 2: Good | March week 2: Good | April week 2: Excellent | May week 2: Excellent | June week 2: Good | July week 2: Good | August week 2: Moderate | September week 2: Poor | October week 2: Poor | November week 2: Poor | December week 2: Moderate |
| Week 3 | January week 3: Moderate | February week 3: Good | March week 3: Excellent | April week 3: Excellent | May week 3: Excellent | June week 3: Excellent | July week 3: Moderate | August week 3: Moderate | September week 3: Poor | October week 3: Moderate | November week 3: Poor | December week 3: Moderate |
| Week 4 | January week 4: Good | February week 4: Excellent | March week 4: Excellent | April week 4: Excellent | May week 4: Excellent | June week 4: Excellent | July week 4: Moderate | August week 4: Moderate | September week 4: Poor | October week 4: Poor | November week 4: Moderate | December week 4: Excellent |
Excellent Good Moderate PoorBest week to go: first of May
January, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Good | 25 °C | 1.4 m | 25 km/h | 31% |
| Week 2 | Moderate | 25 °C | 1.7 m | 25 km/h | 35% |
| Week 3 | Moderate | 25 °C | 1.6 m | 25 km/h | 37% |
| Week 4 | Good | 25 °C | 1.4 m | 24 km/h | 37% |
February, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Excellent | 25 °C | 1.4 m | 23 km/h | 32% |
| Week 2 | Good | 25 °C | 1.6 m | 24 km/h | 31% |
| Week 3 | Good | 25 °C | 1.5 m | 25 km/h | 33% |
| Week 4 | Excellent | 25 °C | 1.3 m | 25 km/h | 32% |
March, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Excellent | 25 °C | 1.5 m | 25 km/h | 30% |
| Week 2 | Good | 25 °C | 1.5 m | 25 km/h | 31% |
| Week 3 | Excellent | 25 °C | 1.4 m | 24 km/h | 33% |
| Week 4 | Excellent | 25 °C | 1.5 m | 24 km/h | 32% |
April, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Excellent | 25 °C | 1.5 m | 24 km/h | 35% |
| Week 2 | Excellent | 25 °C | 1.4 m | 25 km/h | 37% |
| Week 3 | Excellent | 26 °C | 1.3 m | 25 km/h | 38% |
| Week 4 | Excellent | 26 °C | 1.3 m | 24 km/h | 40% |
May, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Excellent | 26 °C | 1.2 m | 23 km/h | 37% |
| Week 2 | Excellent | 27 °C | 1.1 m | 22 km/h | 46% |
| Week 3 | Excellent | 27 °C | 0.9 m | 22 km/h | 61% |
| Week 4 | Excellent | 27 °C | 0.9 m | 21 km/h | 60% |
June, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Good | 28 °C | 1.0 m | 21 km/h | 65% |
| Week 2 | Good | 28 °C | 1.0 m | 20 km/h | 70% |
| Week 3 | Excellent | 28 °C | 1.0 m | 20 km/h | 64% |
| Week 4 | Excellent | 29 °C | 0.8 m | 18 km/h | 62% |
July, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Excellent | 29 °C | 0.8 m | 18 km/h | 60% |
| Week 2 | Good | 30 °C | 0.9 m | 19 km/h | 61% |
| Week 3 | Moderate | 30 °C | 0.9 m | 19 km/h | 63% |
| Week 4 | Moderate | 30 °C | 0.9 m | 19 km/h | 59% |
August, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 30 °C | 1.1 m | 19 km/h | 61% |
| Week 2 | Moderate | 30 °C | 1.0 m | 19 km/h | 61% |
| Week 3 | Moderate | 30 °C | 0.9 m | 19 km/h | 63% |
| Week 4 | Moderate | 30 °C | 1.0 m | 20 km/h | 73% |
September, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 30 °C | 0.9 m | 18 km/h | 71% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 30 °C | 0.6 m | 17 km/h | 68% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 30 °C | 0.7 m | 17 km/h | 67% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 29 °C | 1.4 m | 19 km/h | 71% |
October, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 29 °C | 1.5 m | 22 km/h | 74% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 29 °C | 1.2 m | 22 km/h | 61% |
| Week 3 | Moderate | 29 °C | 1.3 m | 22 km/h | 47% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 28 °C | 1.5 m | 24 km/h | 42% |
November, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 28 °C | 1.6 m | 24 km/h | 42% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 28 °C | 1.6 m | 24 km/h | 42% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 27 °C | 1.4 m | 23 km/h | 33% |
| Week 4 | Moderate | 27 °C | 1.1 m | 22 km/h | 25% |
December, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Excellent | 26 °C | 1.2 m | 22 km/h | 25% |
| Week 2 | Moderate | 26 °C | 1.5 m | 23 km/h | 34% |
| Week 3 | Moderate | 26 °C | 1.6 m | 25 km/h | 38% |
| Week 4 | Excellent | 26 °C | 1.3 m | 24 km/h | 29% |
10 years of daily records, averaged into weeks.
Gear & storms
What to wear
Off the coldest water of each month, not the average — that is what the suit has to cope with.
| January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suit | January: 3 mm | February: 3 mm | March: 3 mm | April: 3 mm | May: 3 mm | June: skin | July: skin | August: skin | September: skin | October: skin | November: 3 mm | December: 3 mm |
- Nov–May3 mm full suit
- Jun–Octskin or 3 mm shorty
Swell through the year
The rough end of each month — nine days in ten come in under it.
Amber is over 1.5 m.
Tides
Tropical storms
8 of the last 30 Septembers saw a tropical storm pass within 250 km. Anything has been recorded Jun–Nov.
Share of the last 30 years with a storm that month.
- NOAASea surface temperature, from OISST and MUR
- ERA5Wind, waves, rain and air temperature, via Open-Meteo
- OBISMarine species records within 60 km
- IBTrACSTropical cyclone tracks, 1996 to 2025
Grand Bahama / Freeport, Bahamas marine life — what you'll see diving
Only 163 records have been logged within 60 km. A thin record is not an empty reef.
| Species | When | Observed window | Reliability | Evidence | Records |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yellowfin tuna | Apr–May | Hit-or-miss | 17 | ||
| Lemon shark | Jan–Feb, Apr | Hit-or-miss | 15 | ||
| Tiger shark | Feb, Dec | Hit-or-miss | 15 | ||
| Loggerhead turtle | Jul–Sep | Likely | 9 | ||
| Southern stingray | Feb–Apr, Nov | Likely | 17 | ||
| Green turtle | Feb, Aug | Likely | 16 | ||
| Nurse shark | Feb, Jun, Aug | Hit-or-miss | 10 |
Peak Present
- Observed window
- Months with records. Peak is where most of them fall.
- Reliability
- Near-guaranteed in 60% of surveyed years or more
- Likely 30% to 60%
- Hit-or-miss under 30%
- Evidence
- Years it was seen, out of the years anyone surveyed.
- Records
- OBIS sightings within 60 km.
These are sightings people logged, not a full survey of the reef. A species missing from a month may just mean nobody recorded one.
Diving Grand Bahama / Freeport, Bahamas — common questions
- When is the best time to dive Grand Bahama / Freeport, Bahamas?
- The wildlife shows no season worth planning around, so it comes down to the weather: go February to June. The wider season runs December to July.
- When is the diving season in Grand Bahama / Freeport, Bahamas?
- The diving season in Grand Bahama / Freeport, Bahamas runs December to July, and it is at its best February to June.
- Is the diving in Grand Bahama / Freeport, Bahamas good for beginners?
- Yes. It suits Open Water divers, so it works for a first trip after certification.
- How warm is the water in Grand Bahama / Freeport, Bahamas?
- Between 25 and 30 °C at the surface across the year, coldest in February and warmest in August. It runs cooler below the thermocline.
- What wetsuit do I need in Grand Bahama / Freeport, Bahamas?
- A 3 mm full suit covers the coldest water of the year. In the warmest months a skin or 3 mm shorty is enough.
- What is the visibility like in Grand Bahama / Freeport, Bahamas?
- Roughly 20 to 35 m depending on the month. That is estimated from satellite chlorophyll-a rather than measured in the water.
- What will I see diving Grand Bahama / Freeport, Bahamas?
- The most consistently recorded species are Yellowfin tuna (hit-or-miss), Lemon shark (hit-or-miss) and Tiger shark (hit-or-miss), from 163 records within 60 km.
- Does Grand Bahama / Freeport, Bahamas get tropical storms?
- Yes. Over 30 years of records a storm passed within 250 km in Jun–Nov, most often in September at 8 of 30 years.
- Is there current in Grand Bahama / Freeport, Bahamas?
- The tide rises and falls 1.1 m around the full and new moon, against 0.7 m in between. How much of that becomes current depends on the shape of the channel.
- When should I avoid Grand Bahama / Freeport, Bahamas?
- September–October are the weakest months for conditions.
- How do you dive Grand Bahama / Freeport, Bahamas?
- Mostly from day boats. Trips run through the season, Dec–Jul.