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Shore entry

Catherine

Florida, United StatesDirections
Open Water suggestedGulf surf and longshore current; rip currents along Santa Rosa Island; wreckage frequently buried by shifting sand (little may be visible); boat traffic near the pass5 m (15 ft) depthShore entry3mm wetsuit typical

Catherine at a glance

Catherine is a shore dive site in Florida, United States with depths of up to 4.6 m (15 ft). Typically most favorable Jul–Aug · from 2 years of archive data. Divers commonly see Southern stingray, Red drum, and Pinfish. Recent reports put the water around 24°C (75°F). Check the latest conditions and entry details before you go.

Next window today· 7:00–19:00 · favorable & moderate · sunset 18:05

Forecast for this hour · 2:00 · run 2 h ago
0.6 m (2.0 ft)waves — under a meter expected (waves — about two feet expected)

Tap a factor for its source and model point

Site hazards: Gulf surf and longshore current; rip currents along Santa Rosa Island; wreckage frequently buried by shifting sand (little may be visible); boat traffic near the pass

Read the full hazards ↓

Dive windows this week

Lightest wind: Mon
Tue7:00–9:00 moderate, 9:00–19:00 favorable

0.6 m waves · 8 kn wind (1.9 ft waves · 8 kn wind)

Wed8:00–16:00 moderate, 16:00–19:00 favorable

0.7 m waves · 9 kn wind (2.2 ft waves · 9 kn wind)

Thu8:00–9:00 moderate, 9:00–19:00 favorable

0.5 m waves · 8 kn wind (1.6 ft waves · 8 kn wind)

Fri8:00–15:00 favorable, 15:00–17:00 moderate, 17:00–19:00 favorable

0.6 m waves · 7 kn wind (1.9 ft waves · 7 kn wind)

Sat8:00–14:00 moderate

0.9 m waves · 11 kn wind (2.9 ft waves · 11 kn wind)

Sun8:00–19:00 moderate

0.7 m waves · 5 kn wind (2.4 ft waves · 5 kn wind)

Mon8:00–19:00 favorable

0.4 m waves · 4 kn wind (1.2 ft waves · 4 kn wind)

Favorable windowModerate window— no window

Every forecast dive window each day, site-local time, from wave and wind forecasts. Numbers under each bar are daylight averages.

First light 6:35 · Sunrise 6:59 · Sunset 18:05 · some windows run past sunset

Source: Open-Meteo marine · model point 3.1 km from site · updated 27 Oct, 00:17 GMT-5

Forecast only — always assess conditions on site.

Compare this weekend’s windows near Catherine

Forecast · NOAA tide model

Tide & slack timing

Loading tide predictions

Recent diver reports

Dated firsthand observations from divers — not current conditions.

No diver reports for this site yet. — one dated observation helps every diver after you.

Dived here today — did the forecast match?

What Divers Say

Known for: Pinfish, Blue crab, Flounder
Best time: Calm, green-flag summer days with flat surf; visibility is best on light east winds and an incoming tide.

Based on community reviews and site data. Conditions vary — always verify before diving.

Best months, historically

What conditions have historically been typical at this site, month by month — not a forecast.

  1. January, 90% of days have historically been favorable, waves have typically been 0.9 m (2.8 ft), wind has typically been 9 knots
  2. February, 96% of days have historically been favorable, waves have typically been 0.7 m (2.4 ft), wind has typically been 9 knots
  3. March, 87% of days have historically been favorable, waves have typically been 0.9 m (3.1 ft), wind has typically been 10 knots
  4. April, 85% of days have historically been favorable, waves have typically been 0.9 m (3.0 ft), wind has typically been 10 knots
  5. May, 97% of days have historically been favorable, waves have typically been 0.8 m (2.7 ft), wind has typically been 8 knots
  6. June, 95% of days have historically been favorable, waves have typically been 0.7 m (2.4 ft), wind has typically been 8 knots
  7. July, 100% of days have historically been favorable, waves have typically been 0.5 m (1.6 ft), wind has typically been 7 knots, historically most favorable
  8. August, 100% of days have historically been favorable, waves have typically been 0.5 m (1.6 ft), wind has typically been 7 knots, historically most favorable
  9. September, 95% of days have historically been favorable, waves have typically been 0.7 m (2.2 ft), wind has typically been 7 knots
  10. October, 97% of days have historically been favorable, waves have typically been 0.8 m (2.7 ft), wind has typically been 8 knots
  11. November, 88% of days have historically been favorable, waves have typically been 0.9 m (2.8 ft), wind has typically been 8 knots
  12. December, 97% of days have historically been favorable, waves have typically been 0.8 m (2.6 ft), wind has typically been 9 knots

July and August have typically had the largest share of favorable days here. Conditions vary year to year — this is historical context, not a forecast.

Based on 1 year of archive data. Bar height shows the share of days each month whose conditions have historically scored favorably.

Marine life seen at this site

Species noted at this site — not a promise of what you’ll encounter.

Species seen here

Rough labels: “Commonly seen” usually means two or more recorded sightings near this site in public dive logs (GBIF), “Occasionally seen” one; “Seasonal” and “Rarely seen” come from dive-guide research. Not a measured rate.

Fills & rentals nearby

Facts from OpenStreetMap, corrected by the community — listed by distance only. Details change; confirm with the shop.

Shop facts come from OpenStreetMap and community corrections, shown nearest first. PickADive lists facts and contacts only — no listing is sponsored or ranked.

Data updated July 2026

Site details

The Catherine was a Norwegian sailing vessel that ran aground on a sandbar about 300 yards from shore while entering Pensacola Pass in a storm on August 7, 1894; all 18 crew were rescued by the Santa Rosa Island Life Saving Station. Her remains, including a brass binnacle found by recreational divers, lie in roughly 15 feet of water off the Fort Pickens area of Gulf Islands National Seashore. It is one of the few historic wrecks in the region that can be reached by swimming from the beach, though shifting sand alternately exposes and buries the timbers.

shorewreck

Gulf surf and longshore current; rip currents along Santa Rosa Island; wreckage frequently buried by shifting sand (little may be visible); boat traffic near the pass — tow a dive flag.

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