[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":187},["ShallowReactive",2],{"leaderboard-total":3,"spot-seo-mackerel-bay":9,"spot-mackerel-bay":51},{"entries":4,"total":5,"period":6,"type":7,"generated_at":8},[],0,"all_time","reports","2026-10-03T06:32:05.526386Z",{"title":10,"description":11,"canonical_url":12,"og_image":13,"structured_data":14,"breadcrumbs":44},"Snorkeling Conditions at Mackerel Bay - How's the Spot","Check snorkeling conditions at Mackerel Bay, Queensland. Excellent conditions, water 23.1°C, waves 0.10m","https:\u002F\u002Fhowsthespot.com\u002Fspots\u002Fmackerel-bay","https:\u002F\u002Fhowsthespot.com\u002Fog-default.png",[15,28],{"@context":16,"@type":17,"name":18,"description":19,"url":12,"geo":20,"address":24},"https:\u002F\u002Fschema.org","Place","Mackerel Bay","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, h...",{"@type":21,"latitude":22,"longitude":23},"GeoCoordinates",-20.059601,148.880987,{"@type":25,"addressRegion":26,"addressCountry":27},"PostalAddress","Queensland","Australia",{"@context":16,"@type":29,"name":30,"description":11,"url":12,"breadcrumb":31},"WebPage","Snorkeling Conditions at Mackerel Bay",{"@context":16,"@type":32,"itemListElement":33},"BreadcrumbList",[34,39,42],{"@type":35,"position":36,"name":37,"item":38},"ListItem",1,"Home","https:\u002F\u002Fhowsthespot.com",{"@type":35,"position":40,"name":26,"item":41},2,"https:\u002F\u002Fhowsthespot.com\u002Fexplore?region=queensland",{"@type":35,"position":43,"name":18,"item":12},3,[45,47,49],{"label":37,"href":46},"\u002F",{"label":26,"href":48},"\u002Fexplore?region=queensland",{"label":18,"href":50},"\u002Fspots\u002Fmackerel-bay",{"id":52,"name":18,"slug":53,"latitude":22,"longitude":23,"description":54,"difficulty":55,"image_url":56,"status":57,"tide_constituents":58,"hazard_entries":109,"access_info_structured":123,"area_boundary":56,"routes":56,"created_at":130,"updated_at":131,"today_conditions":132,"today_verdict_view":153,"images":183,"submitted_by":184,"region_name":26,"verification_status":186,"verified_at":56,"disputed":181,"verifier_count":5,"last_verified_display_name":56},"7f9b7cd4-a6f4-4929-b155-31ea6dd57f8b","mackerel-bay","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.","beginner",null,"published",{"name":59,"amplitude":75,"phase":91,"latitude":22,"model":107,"epoch":108},[60,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,69,70,71,72,73,74],"2N2","J1","K1","K2","M2","M4","MF","MM","N2","O1","P1","Q1","S1","S2","T2",[76,77,78,79,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89,90],0.030694924527577352,0.022100050104532865,0.34529797940904333,0.08957666986898195,0.8885243621083487,0.011937334897868693,0.0025891578894448666,0.00534536897403008,0.22945321599817398,0.17323714848802496,0.10481761367643051,0.031396654066344516,0.005085386904062763,0.31429665994897243,0.020551205708883778,[92,93,94,95,96,97,98,99,100,101,102,103,104,105,106],352.3312566306974,50.95424763878162,37.8241544303458,344.81999414963457,20.441914814681486,79.1955754931447,47.6121798000249,177.2888269958607,0.9334388418207789,10.369300471864234,33.13352673361235,344.46149077748146,334.32506963000344,347.3794276000628,306.3637374603654,"EOT20","1992-01-01T00:00:00Z",[110,114,117,120],{"name":111,"description":112,"severity":113,"season_start":56,"season_end":56},"Variable underwater visibility","Limited underwater visibility is common in the Whitsundays and can reduce snorkeling quality and safety.","caution",{"name":115,"description":116,"severity":113,"season_start":56,"season_end":56},"Moderate currents","Moderate currents can occur in the area even when sea conditions appear calm, particularly near the reef wall between the two keyholes.",{"name":118,"description":119,"severity":113,"season_start":56,"season_end":56},"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.",{"name":121,"description":122,"severity":113,"season_start":56,"season_end":56},"Weather-dependent access","The bay is only accessible when wind conditions are favourable due to its exposed eastern location on Hook Island.",{"directions":124,"parking":125,"facilities":126,"fees":128,"access_method":129},"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 is available at Abell Point Marina in Airlie Beach, the departure point for tours. No on-site parking at Mackerel Bay itself.",[127],"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.","snorkel_tour","2026-07-27T02:54:11.115193Z","2026-08-04T05:34:24.990687Z",{"verdict":133,"evaluated_at":134,"models":135},"go","2026-10-03T02:17:55.506094Z",[136,143,148],{"model_name":137,"is_favourable":138,"value":139,"threshold":140,"unit":141,"operator":142},"Wind Speed",true,1.63,10,"kn","lte",{"model_name":144,"is_favourable":138,"value":145,"threshold":146,"unit":147,"operator":142},"Wave Height",0.1,0.5,"m",{"model_name":149,"is_favourable":138,"value":150,"threshold":40,"unit":151,"operator":152},"Visibility",2.46,"","gte",{"verdict":133,"rating":154,"evaluated_at":134,"generated_at":134,"source":155,"confidence":156,"visibility":159,"parameters":160,"models_passed":182,"models_total":176},"Excellent","precomputed",{"level":157,"value":158},"High",100,{"score":150,"rating":56,"confidence":56},[161,163,169,172,178],{"name":144,"value":162,"label":56,"unit":147,"favourable":138,"score":43,"optimal_max":146,"marginal_max":36},0.10014166224,{"name":164,"value":165,"label":56,"unit":166,"favourable":138,"score":43,"optimal_max":167,"marginal_max":168},"Swell Period",2.5,"s",8,12,{"name":137,"value":170,"label":56,"unit":141,"favourable":138,"score":43,"optimal_max":140,"marginal_max":171},1.6308817600000003,15,{"name":173,"value":174,"label":56,"unit":175,"favourable":138,"score":43,"optimal_max":176,"marginal_max":177},"Precipitation",0.7,"mm",5,20,{"name":179,"value":56,"label":180,"unit":151,"favourable":181,"score":36,"optimal_max":56,"marginal_max":56},"Tidal Phase","flood",false,4,[],{"display_name":185},"Daniel","unverified",1791009170814]