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Map of Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary
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Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary

Georgia, United States
AOW suggested17–23 m depthBoat entryRash guard or 2mm shorty typical

Boat dive — see Entry & access.

Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary at a glance

Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary is a advanced boat dive site in Georgia, United States with depths of 16.8–22.9 m (55–75 ft). Typically most favorable Jul · from 3 years of archive data. Divers commonly see Black sea bass, Atlantic spadefish, and Greater amberjack. Recent reports put the water around 30°C (85°F). Check the latest conditions and entry details before you go.

Marine model · graded 3h ago
0.7 mwaves — under a meter expected

Tap a factor for its source and model point · Forecast 30°C · seasonal avg 30°C

Site hazards: Strong offshore currents, unpredictable visibility (sometimes under 15 ft), jellyfish, live-boating ascents in open water, 8-10 ft coastal tidal swings complicating navigation

Read the full hazards ↓

Dive windows this week

Best: Mon
Sun6:00–20:00
Mon6:00–20:00
Tue6:00–20:00
Wed6:00–16:00
Thu6:00–20:00
Fri6:00–20:00
Sat6:00–20:00

Favorable windowModerate window— no window

First light 5:09 · Sunrise 5:36 · Sunset 19:23

Source: Open-Meteo marine · model point 2.5 km from site · graded 3h ago

Forecast only — always assess conditions on site.

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.

What Divers Say

Known for: Black sea bass, Atlantic spadefish, Greater amberjack
Best time: Late spring through summer in calm weather, timed to the slack-tide window

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. Jan78%12°C0.8 m
  2. Feb69%14°C0.9 m
  3. Mar72%17°C0.9 m
  4. Apr84%21°C0.9 m
  5. May83%25°C0.8 m
  6. Jun84%28°C0.8 m
  7. Jul94%30°C0.7 m
  8. Aug81%30°C0.9 m
  9. Sep67%27°C1.1 m
  10. Oct61%23°C1.1 m
  11. Nov72%20°C0.9 m
  12. Dec61%15°C1.0 m

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

Based on 3 years 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

  • Black sea bassCommonly seen
  • Atlantic spadefishCommonly seen
  • Greater amberjackCommonly seen
  • Loggerhead sea turtleCommonly seen
  • Sandbar sharkOccasionally seen
  • Scalloped hammerheadOccasionally seen
  • Manta rayRarely seen
  • NudibranchCommonly seen
  • LionfishRarely seen

Fills & rentals nearby

No dive shops mapped within 25 km. Know one? Add it to the map.

Site details

A 22-square-mile protected live-bottom reef about 16 miles east of Sapelo Island and 40 miles from Savannah, one of the largest nearshore sandstone reefs in the southeastern US. Ledges and rocky outcrops in 55-75 ft of water carpeted with soft corals, sponges and tunicates host more than 200 fish species, sea turtles and seasonal sharks. Anchoring is prohibited, so all dives are live-boat drift dives timed close to slack tide; the southern third of the sanctuary is a research area closed to diving.

boatdriftreef

Strong offshore currents, unpredictable visibility (sometimes under 15 ft), jellyfish, live-boating ascents in open water, 8-10 ft coastal tidal swings complicating navigation

Reviews

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