Caribbean
Best Time to Dive in Saba
17.60°N 63.28°W
The animals show up July to September. 31% of days see seas over 1.5 m then — February to June is calmer, but the animals have gone. The full season runs January to June.
- Best time
- Jul–Sep
- Water
- 27–30 °C
- Visibility
- 20–35 m
- Season runs
- Jan–Jun
- Dived from
- day boat
- Tidal range
- 0.1–0.4 m
- Species logged
- 8
Worth knowing: 31% of days see seas over 1.5 m.
Where it is
111 km across · coastline from Natural Earth 10m
Diving in Saba — 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 | Moderate | Good | Good | Excellent | Good | Moderate | Poor | Poor | Poor | Poor | Poor |
| Water temp (°C) | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 28 |
| Visibility (m) | 25–35 | 25–35 | 25–35 | 25–35 | 20–30 | 20–30 | 20–30 | 20–30 | 25–35 | 20–30 | 20–30 | 25–35 |
| Marine life | Steady | Steady | Steady | Steady | Peak | Busy | Peak | Busy | Busy | Steady | Steady | Steady |
| Best time | Peak | Peak | Peak |
Excellent Good Moderate PoorPeak season Jul–Sep
Long-term averages, 2016–2025. Visibility is estimated from satellite chlorophyll-a. Water temperature is the surface mean; it is cooler at depth.
The Saba diving season
January to February · Shoulder season
2 monthsJFMAMJJASOND
- Water temperature
- 27–27 °C
- Visibility
- 25–35 m
- Rain
- 10 days a month
Diving conditionsIt rains less.
March to June · Peak season
4 monthsJFMAMJJASOND
- Water temperature
- 27–28 °C
- Visibility
- 25–35 m
- Rain
- 9 days a month
Diving conditionsIt rains less.
July · Shoulder season
1 monthJFMAMJJASOND
- Water temperature
- 29–29 °C
- Visibility
- 20–30 m
- Rain
- 13 days a month
Diving conditionsRain is frequent topside. The wind is up.
August to December · Off season
5 monthsJFMAMJJASOND
- Water temperature
- 28–30 °C
- Visibility
- 20–30 m
- Rain
- 15 days a month
Diving conditionsIt rains more.
- Water temperature is satellite sea-surface temperature, so expect it cooler below the thermocline.
- Visibility is estimated from satellite chlorophyll-a.
Saba water temperature and weather
508 underwater observation records · 25 surveyed years of ocean data · 10 years of sea temperature
Water & weather
Saba 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
12
rough days a month
Seas top 1.5 m on 40% of days. Enough to cancel a day boat
3
blowy days a month
Gusts over 40 km/h, about where a day boat stays in port
12
wet days a month
1 of them bring heavy rain
| Month | Swell | Gusts over 40 km/h | Wet days | Heavy rain | Air | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 2.2 m | 14% | 10 | 0 | 26 °C | 11.1 h |
| February | 2.2 m | 18% | 9 | 0 | 26 °C | 11.4 h |
| March | 2.1 m | 13% | 6 | 0 | 26 °C | 11.9 h |
| April | 2.0 m | 6% | 10 | 1 | 27 °C | 12.4 h |
| May | 1.6 m | 4% | 11 | 1 | 27 °C | 12.8 h |
| June | 1.7 m | 6% | 8 | 1 | 28 °C | 13.0 h |
| July | 1.8 m | 13% | 13 | 1 | 28 °C | 13.0 h |
| August | 1.8 m | 8% | 14 | 2 | 29 °C | 12.6 h |
| September | 1.7 m | 6% | 16 | 3 | 29 °C | 12.1 h |
| October | 1.9 m | 6% | 17 | 3 | 29 °C | 11.6 h |
| November | 1.8 m | 5% | 15 | 3 | 28 °C | 11.2 h |
| December | 2.1 m | 14% | 12 | 0 | 27 °C | 11.0 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: Moderate | February week 1: Poor | March week 1: Good | April week 1: Excellent | May week 1: Good | June week 1: Excellent | July week 1: Moderate | August week 1: Poor | September week 1: Poor | October week 1: Poor | November week 1: Poor | December week 1: Moderate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 2 | January week 2: Moderate | February week 2: Poor | March week 2: Good | April week 2: Good | May week 2: Good | June week 2: Excellent | July week 2: Moderate | August week 2: Poor | September week 2: Poor | October week 2: Poor | November week 2: Poor | December week 2: Poor |
| Week 3 | January week 3: Moderate | February week 3: Moderate | March week 3: Good | April week 3: Good | May week 3: Excellent | June week 3: Good | July week 3: Poor | August week 3: Poor | September week 3: Poor | October week 3: Poor | November week 3: Moderate | December week 3: Poor |
| Week 4 | January week 4: Moderate | February week 4: Good | March week 4: Moderate | April week 4: Good | May week 4: Excellent | June week 4: Moderate | July week 4: Poor | August week 4: Poor | September week 4: Poor | October week 4: Poor | November week 4: Moderate | December week 4: Moderate |
Excellent Good Moderate PoorBest week to go: first of July
January, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Moderate | 27 °C | 1.9 m | 32 km/h | 34% |
| Week 2 | Moderate | 27 °C | 2.1 m | 32 km/h | 34% |
| Week 3 | Moderate | 27 °C | 2.2 m | 32 km/h | 31% |
| Week 4 | Moderate | 27 °C | 2.1 m | 33 km/h | 31% |
February, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 27 °C | 2.2 m | 34 km/h | 35% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 27 °C | 2.3 m | 37 km/h | 35% |
| Week 3 | Moderate | 27 °C | 2.2 m | 35 km/h | 28% |
| Week 4 | Good | 27 °C | 1.9 m | 32 km/h | 23% |
March, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Good | 27 °C | 1.9 m | 31 km/h | 23% |
| Week 2 | Good | 27 °C | 2.1 m | 31 km/h | 19% |
| Week 3 | Good | 27 °C | 2.1 m | 32 km/h | 20% |
| Week 4 | Moderate | 27 °C | 2.1 m | 32 km/h | 22% |
April, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Excellent | 27 °C | 2.1 m | 32 km/h | 22% |
| Week 2 | Good | 27 °C | 2.1 m | 31 km/h | 28% |
| Week 3 | Good | 27 °C | 1.8 m | 31 km/h | 36% |
| Week 4 | Good | 27 °C | 1.7 m | 31 km/h | 41% |
May, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Good | 28 °C | 1.6 m | 31 km/h | 42% |
| Week 2 | Good | 28 °C | 1.7 m | 32 km/h | 34% |
| Week 3 | Excellent | 28 °C | 1.6 m | 31 km/h | 29% |
| Week 4 | Excellent | 28 °C | 1.5 m | 30 km/h | 34% |
June, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Excellent | 28 °C | 1.5 m | 32 km/h | 30% |
| Week 2 | Excellent | 28 °C | 1.6 m | 33 km/h | 22% |
| Week 3 | Good | 28 °C | 1.7 m | 34 km/h | 27% |
| Week 4 | Moderate | 29 °C | 1.9 m | 35 km/h | 31% |
July, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Moderate | 29 °C | 2.0 m | 36 km/h | 32% |
| Week 2 | Moderate | 29 °C | 1.8 m | 35 km/h | 38% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 29 °C | 1.8 m | 34 km/h | 45% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 29 °C | 1.7 m | 34 km/h | 49% |
August, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 29 °C | 1.7 m | 34 km/h | 46% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 29 °C | 1.8 m | 33 km/h | 44% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 29 °C | 2.0 m | 33 km/h | 45% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 29 °C | 1.7 m | 31 km/h | 44% |
September, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 29 °C | 1.5 m | 29 km/h | 48% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 30 °C | 1.7 m | 28 km/h | 52% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 30 °C | 1.7 m | 28 km/h | 52% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 30 °C | 1.6 m | 27 km/h | 58% |
October, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 30 °C | 1.7 m | 27 km/h | 59% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 30 °C | 1.7 m | 27 km/h | 57% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 29 °C | 2.0 m | 28 km/h | 55% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 29 °C | 2.1 m | 29 km/h | 51% |
November, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 29 °C | 1.8 m | 30 km/h | 60% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 29 °C | 1.8 m | 31 km/h | 57% |
| Week 3 | Moderate | 29 °C | 1.9 m | 30 km/h | 44% |
| Week 4 | Moderate | 29 °C | 1.9 m | 29 km/h | 37% |
December, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Moderate | 28 °C | 1.9 m | 31 km/h | 33% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 28 °C | 2.1 m | 34 km/h | 40% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 28 °C | 2.1 m | 33 km/h | 40% |
| Week 4 | Moderate | 28 °C | 2.0 m | 33 km/h | 33% |
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: skin | June: skin | July: skin | August: skin | September: skin | October: skin | November: skin | December: skin |
- Jan–Apr3 mm full suit
- May–Decskin 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
12 of the last 30 Augusts saw a tropical storm pass within 250 km. Anything has been recorded Jul–Dec.
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
Saba marine life — what you'll see diving
| Species | When | Observed window | Reliability | Evidence | Records |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green turtle | All year | Near-guaranteed | 115 | ||
| Nurse shark | All year | Near-guaranteed | 58 | ||
| Hawksbill turtle | May, Jul–Sep | Near-guaranteed | 30 | ||
| Southern stingray | May–Jul | Likely | 103 | ||
| Nassau grouper | May–Jun | Likely | 39 | ||
| Spotted eagle ray | All year | Hit-or-miss | 44 | ||
| Humpback whale | Feb–Mar | Likely | 9 | ||
| Sperm whale | Feb–Mar | Hit-or-miss | 11 |
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 Saba — common questions
- When is the best time to dive Saba?
- The animals show up July to September. 31% of days see seas over 1.5 m then — February to June is calmer, but the animals have gone. The full season runs January to June.
- When is the diving season in Saba?
- Conditions are good January to June, but most divers come July to September for the marine life.
- Is the diving in Saba good for beginners?
- It is better with some experience. It suits Advanced Open Water divers or equivalent, so newer divers should ask the local operator which sites fit their level.
- How warm is the water in Saba?
- Between 27 and 30 °C at the surface across the year, coldest in February and warmest in September. It runs cooler below the thermocline.
- What wetsuit do I need in Saba?
- 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 Saba?
- 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 Saba?
- The most consistently recorded species are Green turtle (near-guaranteed), Nurse shark (near-guaranteed) and Hawksbill turtle (near-guaranteed), from 508 records within 60 km.
- Does Saba get tropical storms?
- Yes. Over 30 years of records a storm passed within 250 km in Jul–Dec, most often in August at 12 of 30 years.
- Is there current in Saba?
- The tide rises and falls 0.4 m around the full and new moon, against 0.1 m in between. How much of that becomes current depends on the shape of the channel.
- When should I avoid Saba?
- August–October are the weakest months for conditions.
- How do you dive Saba?
- Mostly from day boats. Trips run through the season, Jan–Jun.