Mackerel Bay, on the eastern side of Hook Island in the Whitsundays, is a world-class snorkeling site shaped like two protected keyholes separated by a reef wall. The reef is carpeted in vibrant, healthy coral — both soft corals and hard corals, including stunning fan corals — with barely a patch of bare rock in sight. The bay teems with marine life including anemone fish (clownfish), parrotfish, wrasse, butterflies, groupers, stingrays, giant clams with vivid colours, and green sea turtles that often nap on 'Turtle Sleeping Rock' at the southern keyhole. Access is exclusively by boat tour due to its remote island location.
Mackerel Bay
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Wave Height 0.1 mSwell Period 2.5 sWind Speed 1.6 knPrecipitation 0.7 mmTidal Phase flood
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Community contribution: submitted by Daniel
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Low risk: Variable underwater visibility
Limited underwater visibility is common in the Whitsundays and can reduce snorkeling quality and safety.
Low risk: Moderate currents
Moderate currents can occur in the area even when sea conditions appear calm, particularly near the reef wall between the two keyholes.
Low risk: Steep drop-off near reef edge
The reef wall drops steeply from shallow reef flat (1-3m) to depths of 5-8m, with deeper areas beyond, which can surprise inexperienced snorkelers.
Low risk: Weather-dependent access
The bay is only accessible when wind conditions are favourable due to its exposed eastern location on Hook Island.
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Getting in
Snorkel tour
Entry
Mackerel Bay is located on the eastern side of Hook Island in the Whitsunday Islands. It is accessible only by boat, typically via day tours or multi-day sailing charters that depart from Abell Point Marina at Airlie Beach. Tours often include multiple snorkeling stops, with Mackerel Bay visited when wind conditions are favourable.
Parking & facilities
Parking is available at Abell Point Marina in Airlie Beach, the departure point for tours. No on-site parking at Mackerel Bay itself.
toilets
Day tours from Airlie Beach start at approximately $105 AUD per person, including lunch, snorkeling gear, and guided stops. Multi-day charters are also available.
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About this data
- Conditions last evaluated
- Spot data last updated
- Data sources
- Open-Meteo (marine & weather conditions), tide predictions via UTide, community contributors (descriptions, hazards, marine life).
- License
- Spot content licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. How's the Spot is open source.
Weather & swell ┬╖ Open-Meteo marine & weather APIs Tides ┬╖ UTide harmonic analysis Sea & safety ┬╖ community reports