Sesimbra 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 00:00 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 Europe/Lisbon local. Folk tradition, not a scientific forecast.

Last spring tide on Mon 04 May (range 2.1m). Next neap on Sat 09 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.

Sesimbra is a small fishing village on the Arrábida coast south of Lisbon, sheltered inside a bay formed by the cliffs of the Serra da Arrábida. The Arrábida Natural Park is the most dramatic coastal protected area in central Portugal — limestone mountains drop directly into the Atlantic, creating cliffs of 200 to 300 metres and turquoise sea at their base. The bay at Sesimbra faces south and is sheltered from the prevailing north wind; the water is calm and warm (18 to 22°C in summer) compared to the exposed Atlantic beaches to the west. Tidal range is moderate: mean spring range around 2.5 metres. The Arrábida underwater environment is among the clearest in mainland Portugal. The limestone geology, the sheltered aspect, and the reduced riverine sediment input (the park has no significant rivers) produce visibility of 15 to 25 metres in settled conditions. Scuba diving at Arrábida targets sea fans (Eunicella sp.), moray eels, conger, and large bream in 10 to 25 metres of water. The Portinho da Arrábida beach (15 km west of Sesimbra, inside the park) is the most accessed dive entry point; dive boats also operate from the Sesimbra harbour. The Sesimbra fishing harbour processes limpet, octopus, sea bass, and the occasional swordfish — boats from Sesimbra fish the deep Atlantic southwest of the Arrábida cape. The morning fish market at the harbour sells direct from the fleet. The town's restaurants serve freshly caught fish in traditional preparation — caldeirada de peixe (fish stew with potatoes and tomato) is the local signature. The Forte de Santiago, a 17th-century fort at the water's edge on the east side of the bay, is the landmark of Sesimbra — the image of the white fort reflected in the bay at low water is the standard postcard. The fort interior has a small maritime museum. Whale watching trips from Sesimbra run spring through autumn targeting common dolphins (year-round resident), fin whales (spring migration), and the occasional sperm whale that enters the deep Atlantic canyon southwest of the cape. Predictions on this page come from Open-Meteo Marine, a gridded global ocean model, cross-referenced with Instituto Hidrográfico predictions. For the most accurate Portuguese tide predictions, consult the Instituto Hidrográfico at hidrografico.pt.