Naqoura tide times

Predictions: Open-Meteo Marine (MeteoFrance SMOC, 0.08° grid) — heights relative to MSL (not chart datum / LAT). Model-derived.

Model-derived from a global ocean grid. Useful indication; expect about ±45 minutes on average vs. a local harmonic gauge, individual stations vary widely. See /methodology for per-region detail. Not for navigation.

Conditions as of 01:00 local time. Refreshes daily.

Predictions: Open-Meteo Marine (MeteoFrance SMOC, 0.08° grid) — heights relative to MSL (not chart datum / LAT). Model-derived. · Not for navigation.

The angler tradition for major/minor fishing windows: major ≈3-hour windows around moon transit and opposition; minor ≈2-hour windows around moonrise and moonset. Times are Asia/Beirut local. Folk tradition, not a scientific forecast.

Naqoura is the southernmost coastal town in Lebanon, positioned at the base of a rocky limestone headland that drops to the Mediterranean just a few kilometres north of the border with Israel. The town is the headquarters of UNIFIL — the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon — and the UN compound occupies a significant portion of the headland. The harbour is small, used by local fishermen who work the rocky reef and shallow bank system that extends offshore. The coastal setting at Naqoura is distinct from the sandy beaches further north: the shoreline is predominantly rocky limestone, with small cobble and shingle coves between headlands, and the clarity of the Mediterranean here is striking — the deep blue of the open sea against pale limestone is characteristic of the south Lebanon coast. Tide data for Naqoura comes from Open-Meteo Marine. Timing accuracy ±45 minutes, height accuracy ±0.2 to 0.3 metres. The eastern Mediterranean at Naqoura is effectively microtidal: spring tidal range is less than 0.3 metres. As with Tyre and Sidon to the north, wind setup and atmospheric pressure dominate water-level variability. The tidal prediction here provides background context; the operational variables for coastal access are wind direction and swell height. Fishing at Naqoura targets the rocky reef species characteristic of the eastern Mediterranean: grouper, sea bream, and mullet in the shallow reef zones; red mullet and small pelagics over the sandy patches. The rocky limestone bottom drops quickly offshore — the 50-metre depth contour is within 2 to 3 kilometres of the coast — giving access to deeper-water species from small boats. Local fishermen use hand lines, trammel nets, and longlines on the reef. The offshore bank structure near Naqoura is productive for diving and snorkelling in calm conditions. The rocky ledges at 5 to 20 metres depth have moray eels, saddled bream, and occasionally larger pelagic visitors on the outer edges. Underwater visibility in summer runs 10 to 20 metres; winter visibility is reduced but still serviceable. There is no established commercial dive operation at Naqoura; the nearest dive centres are in Sidon. The border proximity creates a security dimension that must be factored into any visit. UNIFIL's presence provides a degree of stability monitoring, but southern Lebanon's security situation changes. The coastal road from Tyre to Naqoura is the main access route and runs through a Lebanese Army checkpoint zone. Travel advisories should be checked before visiting. Water temperature follows the eastern Mediterranean pattern: 17 to 19°C in February and March, rising to 27 to 29°C in August and September. The warm summer sea and calm summer conditions make the rocky coves of Naqoura excellent for snorkelling from June through October. The headland at Naqoura itself is a significant geological feature: the limestone promontory, rising to 40 to 50 metres above sea level, shows the characteristic erosional profiles of the eastern Mediterranean coast — wave-cut notches at current sea level and older notches at higher elevations that mark past high-stand sea levels from interglacial periods. Geologists use these notch sequences to reconstruct Mediterranean sea-level history; the Naqoura headland has been cited in several studies of Holocene sea-level change in the Levant. The small fishing harbour at Naqoura serves a community of artisanal fishermen who work the reef and shallow bank system between the headland and the Tyros Bank offshore. The fishing boats at Naqoura are the traditional fibre-glass speedboats common to the Lebanon coast; the fleet is small, perhaps 15 to 20 active vessels. The catch is sold locally and in the Tyre market. Fish prices in south Lebanon follow the Lebanese economic situation closely; the pound's devaluation since 2019 has complicated the economics of the fishery significantly, though the fishing itself continues. The UNIFIL headquarters compound at Naqoura employs local Lebanese staff alongside international military personnel; the compound's economic impact on the small town is significant. Hotels, restaurants, and services that cater to UNIFIL personnel account for a notable proportion of Naqoura's commercial activity. This gives the town a character somewhat different from purely Lebanese coastal communities — more multilingual, more internationally oriented, with regular turnover of personnel.