Michaelmas Cay
Reef·Queensland·Australia·
Field notes
Outer reef coral cay north-east of Cairns. The cay itself is a no-anchor seabird sanctuary, but surrounding open zones hold red emperor, coral trout and large-mouth nannygai. Pelagic trolling for spanish mackerel and wahoo on the edges.
Current conditions
Wind
22.8 kt S
Gusts 31.9 kt
Waves
1.5 m
Period 5.6 s
Swell
0.6 m
Period 6.7 s
Sea temp
22.1°C
Air 21.6°C
Next 12 hours
10:00
22.8 S
1.5m
11:00
23.6 S
1.5m
12:00
23.7 S
1.5m
13:00
27 SSE
1.5m
14:00
26.7 SSE
1.5m
15:00
26.6 SSE
1.5m
16:00
26.2 S
1.5m
17:00
25.7 S
1.5m
18:00
26.3 SSE
1.5m
19:00
24.6 SSE
1.4m
20:00
21.5 SSE
1.4m
21:00
22.9 SSE
1.4m
Tides
Nearest BOM tide station: Michaelmas Cay ↗ (7.1 km · secondary)
We don't predict tides on-site — BOM's published tables are authoritative.
BOM · Cairns CoastIssued at 3:00 pm EST on Tuesday 21 July 2026
Situation. A firm ridge of high pressure extends over the northern Queensland waters from a high [1031 hPa] centred over the Tasman Sea. The ridge will slowly relax over coming days as the high slowly weakens, before strengthening again from Friday as a new high moves east across southern Australia.
Tuesday 21 July until midnight. Winds: Southeasterly 10 to 15 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Southeasterly around 1 metre outside the reef. Weather: Mostly clear.
Wednesday 22 July. Winds: Southeasterly 10 to 15 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: East to southeasterly below 1 metre, increasing to around 1 metre outside the reef. Weather: Mostly sunny.
Thursday 23 July. Winds: East to southeasterly 10 to 15 knots. Seas: Around 1 metre. Swell: East to southeasterly around 1 metre. Weather: Mostly sunny.
Friday 24 July. Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: Around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres during the afternoon. Swell: East to southeasterly below 1 metre, increasing to around 1 metre outside the reef. Weather: Partly cloudy. Peninsula Coast: Sharp Point to Cape Melville
Source: Open-Meteo Marine + ECMWF (15-min cache) · BOM (1-hr cache). Not for navigation.
Sun & moon
Today
Sun↑ 06:45↓ 18:01
Moon↑ 11:26↓ 00:24
PhaseFirst quarter 49%
Best windows
- Dawn06:22 – 07:45
- Dusk17:01 – 18:24
Tomorrow
Sun↑ 06:45↓ 18:01
Moon↑ 12:03↓ 01:16
PhaseFirst quarter 59%
Best windows
- Dawn06:22 – 07:45
- Dusk17:01 – 18:24
Best windows combine civil twilight with the hour either side of sun transit — the universal low-light feeding window most species respond to. Moon phase influence is folkloric; full and new moons coincide with the strongest tide swings.
What's biting
Recent reports from the community. Sign in to log your own catches.
Access & logistics
Spot type
Reef
Region
Queensland, Australia
Fishing style
offshore and bluewater fishing
Structure
Typically holds bommies and drop-offs — work the structure for holding fish.
Licence
Recreational fishing licence may apply — check the Queensland fisheries regulator before fishing.
Closures
Always confirm current marine park / closure status and seasonal bag limits.
Saved.
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