Muscat Marina 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 02:00 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/Muscat local. Folk tradition, not a scientific forecast.

Next spring tide on Fri 08 May (range 1.6m). Next neap on Mon 11 May.

Spring tides cluster around new and full moons (biggest swings). Neap tides land on quarter moons (smallest swings). See the spring tide and neap tide glossary entries for the why.

Muscat Marina occupies a purpose-built harbour basin at the eastern edge of the Muttrah area, sheltered from the Gulf of Oman swell by a rubble mole and the rocky headland of Ras Al Hamra. The marina handles a mix of visiting yachts, recreational motorboats, and charter fishing vessels; the promenade along the outer basin wall is one of the cleaner walking stretches in the capital area. The tidal regime in Muscat is mixed semidiurnal. Spring range at Muscat Port is approximately 1.5–2.0 m above Chart Datum; neap range 0.6–1.0 m. Two unequal highs and two unequal lows occur on most days, with the diurnal inequality noticeable enough that one high is regularly 0.3–0.5 m above the other. The transition between tidal regimes is smooth; the Muscat coast lacks the shallow shelf geometry that would generate strong tidal currents, and currents inside the marina basin are negligible. The marina is the embarkation point for the main coastal activity operations out of Muscat: dolphin-watching excursions (common bottlenose and spinner dolphin populations are resident in the Gulf of Oman year-round), snorkelling trips to the Fahal Island marine area, and charter fishing for kingfish (Scomberomorus commerson), grouper (Epinephelus species), and emperors (Lethrinus species). Dolphin trips depart at dawn, before the afternoon sea breeze makes the open Gulf crossing choppy. Most operators depart at 06:30–07:00; the return crossing in the afternoon is generally rougher. Fahal Island, 5 km NW of the marina, is a limestone stack rising 50 m from the Gulf with a productive reef at its base. The snorkelling and diving conditions at Fahal are best from October through April when visibility regularly reaches 15–20 m and water temperatures are 22–28°C. During summer (June–September) the south-to-north Arabian Sea circulation brings warmer, less clear water and reduced visibility. The approach to Fahal from the marina involves crossing the main ship channel; boats give way to commercial traffic. The Corniche waterfront between the marina and Muttrah souq carries the main coastal walking route for visitors. The inner bay at Muttrah — the area immediately in front of the souq — was historically the main dhow anchorage; traditional wooden dhows still moor here alongside the modern watercraft. The tidal flat on the Muttrah inner bay side exposes a narrow strip of sand and rock at low water. Fishing from the outer breakwater of the marina targets trevally (Caranx species), barracuda, and various reef fish on the incoming tide from evening through to dawn. The breakwater rock at low water is accessible to anglers; the ledges on the seaward face are the productive positions. Tide predictions here come from Open-Meteo Marine: accuracy ±45 min / ±0.2–0.3 m. The National Hydrographic Office of Oman publishes official tide tables for Muscat and other Omani ports. The Muttrah Corniche, between the marina and the Muttrah souq (covered market), is the traditional heart of Muscat's waterfront. The souq itself, one of the oldest in Oman, is most accessible by foot from the marina end; the 1.5 km walk along the Corniche passes the fish market (open in the early morning before 09:00, when the night fishing returns) and the harbour boat area. The fish market is most active on the flood tide when the fishing boats unload; the variety of Arabian Sea species on offer — kingfish, hamour (grouper), safi (rabbitfish), and the various snappers and emperors of the Gulf of Oman reef — is exceptional. The Muttrah Corniche fish market (Souq Al Samak) is the most accessible fresh seafood market in Muscat, open from 05:00 to approximately 10:00 daily. Species from the Gulf of Oman reef system are traded here: the hamour (orange-spotted grouper, Epinephelus coioides) is the prestige fish of the Omani coast, prized in every Gulf country and correspondingly expensive. The fish trader system at Muttrah operates through licensed vendors; the catch arrives primarily by small-boat fishing from local ports and by larger vessels from the open Gulf.