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Which seas and ferry crossings are roughest in March

Of the 202 seas and ferry routes on this site, 76 sit at rough or roughest in March and 22 are calm. 51 are at the hardest level they reach in any month of the year. Against February, 5 step up a level and 98 step down.

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Every water ranked for March

Each level below is the one that water carries for March on its own page. It describes the typical pattern of the month, not a forecast for your sailing date. A water marked as its own worst is at the hardest level it reaches in any month of the year.

Roughest in March: 5 of 202

This water at its hardest. These are the months its reputation comes from, and the ones passengers write about afterwards.

Seas and ferry routes rated roughest in March
Sea or routeWhat drives itRest of its year
Barents SeaSea area, Arctic Norway. Worst level of its year.Open Arctic water, winter polar lowshigh
Bristol ChannelSea area, South-west England and Wales. Worst level of its year.Atlantic swell and a 13 m tidal rangehigh
Drake PassageSea area, Southern Ocean. Worst level of its year.No land to stop wind, swell or currentvery high
Strait of BonifacioSea area, Corsica and Sardinia. Worst level of its year.Mistral squeezed through an 11 km gaphigh
VestfjordenSea area, Northern Norway. Worst level of its year.Open bight of sea with strong tidal eddieshigh

Rough in March: 71 of 202

The difficult half of this water's year. Calm days still happen, but bad ones are common enough to plan around.

Seas and ferry routes rated rough in March
Sea or routeWhat drives itRest of its year
Aberdeen to LerwickFerry route, UK and Ireland216 miles up the open northern North Seahigh
Alboran SeaSea area, Spain and Morocco. Worst level of its year.Open water, roughest from winter to springmoderate
Algeciras to CeutaFerry route, Southern Europe. Worst level of its year.The sheltered-side shortcutmoderate
Algeciras to Tanger MedFerry route, Southern Europe. Worst level of its year.The strait's big-ship crossingmoderate
Balearic SeaSea area, Spain. Worst level of its year.Short fetch, northerly storms and frontsmoderate
Bar Harbor to Yarmouth (The CAT)Ferry route, North America. Worst level of its year.Open Gulf of Maine at catamaran speedmoderate
Bay of BiscaySea area, North-east AtlanticAtlantic swell over a shoaling shelfhigh
Bay of FundySea area, New Brunswick and Nova ScotiaRecord tides, swell against the ebb at Digby Gutmoderate
Bay of NaplesSea area, Southern Italy. Worst level of its year.West-facing bay, autumn and winter stormsmoderate
Bering SeaSea area, AlaskaAleutian Low storms over a wide deep basinvery high
Block Island SoundSea area, Rhode Island, Connecticut and New York. Worst level of its year.Open to the Atlantic, southerly fetchmoderate
Cabot StraitSea area, Atlantic CanadaAtlantic storm track across an open gulf mouthhigh
Celtic SeaSea area, Between Ireland, Cornwall and BrittanyOpen Atlantic swell over a shelf seahigh
Delaware BaySea area, New Jersey and Delaware. Worst level of its year.Open bay, long fetch and strong currentsmoderate
Gills Bay to St Margaret's HopeFerry route, UK and IrelandStraight across the world's fastest tidal streamsvery high
Gulf of AlaskaSea area, North PacificAleutian Low storms, no island shelterhigh
Gulf of LionSea area, Western Mediterranean. Worst level of its year.Mistral funnelled down the Rhรดne valleyhigh
Gulf of MaineSea area, Maine and Nova ScotiaOpen Atlantic gulf, winter gales on a long fetchhigh
Gulf of Saint-MaloSea area, Between Brittany, Normandy and the Channel IslandsHuge tides and island reefs in the western Channelmoderate
Gulf of SalernoSea area, Amalfi Coast, Italy. Worst level of its year.Wide open Tyrrhenian mouth, winter stormsmoderate
Harwich to Hook of HollandFerry route, UK and IrelandThe shallowest water on the North Sea ferry maphigh
Hecate StraitSea area, British ColumbiaShallow strait, steep wind waves, southeast galesvery high
Hirtshals to TorshavnFerry route, Northern EuropeA day and a half into the open North Atlantichigh
Hull to RotterdamFerry route, UK and IrelandOvernight across the shallow southern basinhigh
Ionian SeaSea area, Western Greece and southern ItalyWinter southerlies over deep open watermoderate
Lake MichiganSea area, US MidwestLong fetch under autumn galeshigh
Lake SuperiorSea area, Great Lakes (Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Ontario)Huge fetch over deep waterhigh
Ligurian SeaSea area, North-west Italy and Corsica. Worst level of its year.Mistral and Gulf of Genoa lows over deep watermoderate
Maizuru to OtaruFerry route, AsiaA day at sea along the winter monsoon's fetchhigh
Malta ChannelSea area, Central Mediterranean. Worst level of its year.Open channel exposed to north-westerly galesmoderate
Marseille to AjaccioFerry route, Southern Europe. Worst level of its year.Mistral funnelled down the Rhone valleyhigh
Mediterranean SeaSea area, Mediterranean. Worst level of its year.Mistral in the west, meltemi in the Aegeanmoderate
Mona PassageSea area, Caribbean. Worst level of its year.Tidal current forced over shallow banksmoderate
Mozambique ChannelSea area, South-west Indian Ocean. Worst level of its year.Cyclone corridor feeding the Agulhas Currenthigh
Newcastle to AmsterdamFerry route, UK and IrelandA full night across the open middlehigh
Niigata to OtaruFerry route, AsiaThe shorter Hokkaido run, same winter seahigh
Niigata to Ryotsu (Sado Island)Ferry route, AsiaA short hop open to the winter seahigh
North SeaSea area, North-west EuropeShallow basin, short steep wind chophigh
North Sydney to ArgentiaFerry route, North AmericaThe long way to Newfoundland, more Atlantic in ithigh
North Sydney to Port aux BasquesFerry route, North AmericaThe Atlantic storm track's ferry crossinghigh
Norwegian SeaSea area, Northern EuropeOcean swell at unsheltered capeshigh
Pentland FirthSea area, Northern ScotlandTidal races, not wind-driven wavesvery high
Penzance to St Mary's (Isles of Scilly)Ferry route, UK and Ireland. Worst level of its year.Open Atlantic swell met by a flat-bottomed hullhigh
Plymouth to SantanderFerry route, UK and IrelandThe short cut that still crosses all of Biscayhigh
Portsmouth to BilbaoFerry route, UK and IrelandA long offshore middle over open Biscayhigh
Portsmouth to SantanderFerry route, UK and IrelandAtlantic swell over a shoaling shelfhigh
Rosslare to CherbourgFerry route, UK and Ireland. Worst level of its year.Open Celtic Sea with full Atlantic fetchhigh
San Juan to Santo DomingoFerry route, Caribbean and Latin America. Worst level of its year.The Caribbean's trickiest passage, overnightmoderate
San Pedro ChannelSea area, Southern California. Worst level of its year.Open Pacific channel, spring peakmoderate
Santa Barbara ChannelSea area, Southern California. Worst level of its year.Afternoon northwest wind along the islands' north shoreshigh
Saronic GulfSea area, Athens, Greece. Worst level of its year.Summer meltemi, partly sheltered by Atticamoderate
Scrabster to StromnessFerry route, UK and IrelandTidal races, not wind-driven wavesvery high
Sea of JapanSea area, East AsiaWinter monsoon over a long open fetchhigh
Sea of the HebridesSea area, West coast of ScotlandPartly sheltered sea with Atlantic storms in winterhigh
Seto Inland SeaSea area, Western Japan. Worst level of its year.Sheltered inland sea, strong tidal straitsmoderate
St Lucia ChannelSea area, Eastern Caribbean (Martinique and Saint Lucia)Trade-wind sea in a gap between islandsmoderate
St Lucia to Martinique (Castries to Fort-de-France)Ferry route, Caribbean and Latin America. Worst level of its year.Trade swell funnelling between the islandsmoderate
Strait of GibraltarSea area, Spain and Morocco. Worst level of its year.Wind funneled between two mountain rangesmoderate
Strait of MessinaSea area, Sicily and Calabria. Worst level of its year.Opposed tides drive strong currents through a 3 km gapmoderate
Straits of MackinacSea area, Northern Michigan. Worst level of its year.Irregular currents and autumn gales between two lakesmoderate
Tarifa to TangierFerry route, Southern Europe. Worst level of its year.Wind funnelled between two continentsmoderate
The MinchSea area, North-west Scotland. Worst level of its year.Atlantic swell down an open northern doormoderate
Torshavn to SeydisfjordurFerry route, Northern EuropeHigh-latitude open ocean, the Iceland leghigh
Toulon to BastiaFerry route, Southern Europe. Worst level of its year.Mistral seas from the gulf's eastern edgehigh
Trinidad to Tobago (Port of Spain to Scarborough)Ferry route, Caribbean and Latin America. Worst level of its year.Calm gulf, open Atlantic middlehigh
Tyrrhenian SeaSea area, Western Italy, Sardinia and Sicily. Worst level of its year.Winter mistral and libeccio over deep watermoderate
Uig to Lochmaddy (North Uist)Ferry route, UK and Ireland. Worst level of its year.The Uist leg of the Little Minch trianglemoderate
Uig to Tarbert (Harris)Ferry route, UK and Ireland. Worst level of its year.The Little Minch's open crossing to Harrismoderate
Ullapool to StornowayFerry route, UK and Ireland. Worst level of its year.Atlantic swell down an open northern doormoderate
Vieques SoundSea area, Puerto Rico. Worst level of its year.Steady trade winds over a long fetch, shoals in the westmoderate
Whitsunday PassageSea area, Queensland, Australia. Worst level of its year.Wind across the gap to the islandsmoderate

Mixed in March: 104 of 202

It depends on the week. Settled weather gives an easy passage here, an approaching front gives an uncomfortable one.

Seas and ferry routes rated mixed in March
Sea or routeWhat drives itRest of its year
Adriatic SeaSea area, Central MediterraneanKatabatic bora gusts off the Dinaric Alpsmoderate
Aegean SeaSea area, Eastern MediterraneanSummer meltemi funnelled down the Aegeanmoderate
Ancona to IgoumenitsaFerry route, Southern EuropeRunning the whole Adriatic, north to southmoderate
Ancona to SplitFerry route, Southern EuropeOvernight across the open central Adriaticmoderate
Baltic SeaSea area, Northern EuropeShort steep chop, no ocean swellmoderate
Barcelona to Palma de MallorcaFerry route, Southern EuropeTramontana and mistral chop on an open crossingmoderate
Bari to DubrovnikFerry route, Southern EuropeThe deep southern Adriatic basinmoderate
Bass StraitSea area, Southern AustraliaOcean swell shortening over a 60 m shelfhigh
Bay of IslandsSea area, Northland, New ZealandOpen Pacific at Cape Brett, islands insidemoderate
Bluff to Oban (Stewart Island)Ferry route, Australia and New ZealandRoaring Forties swell over a shallow seawayvery high
Buenos Aires to Colonia del SacramentoFerry route, Caribbean and Latin America. Worst level of its year.A shallow brown-water estuary with one bad windlow
Busan to Hakata (Fukuoka)Ferry route, AsiaThe overnight strait, after the fast craft eramoderate
Busan to OsakaFerry route, AsiaOne open strait, then Japan's inland seamoderate
Busan to ShimonosekiFerry route, AsiaThe historic overnight run across the straitmoderate
Cairnryan to BelfastFerry route, UK and IrelandAtlantic weather funnelled through the North Channelmoderate
Cape May to LewesFerry route, North America. Worst level of its year.Where Atlantic swell meets the estuarymoderate
Cebu StraitSea area, PhilippinesIsland channel, rougher in monsoons and typhoonsmoderate
Ceiba to Vieques and CulebraFerry route, Caribbean and Latin America. Worst level of its year.Trade-wind chop across an island soundmoderate
Civitavecchia to OlbiaFerry route, Southern EuropeOpen Tyrrhenian in the mistral's throwmoderate
Cook StraitSea area, New ZealandWind against a 5-knot tidal streamhigh
Copenhagen to OsloFerry route, Northern EuropeSheltered start, open Skagerrak in the nightmoderate
Coral SeaSea area, South-west PacificTrade-wind chop behind a reef screenmoderate
Dar es Salaam to ZanzibarFerry route, AfricaIndian Ocean swell across an open channelmoderate
Denia to IbizaFerry route, Southern EuropeFast catamarans on an open Balearic hopmoderate
Dover to CalaisFerry route, UK and IrelandShallow strait, wind against tidemoderate
Dover to DunkirkFerry route, UK and IrelandShallow strait, wind against tidemoderate
East China SeaSea area, Southern JapanTyphoons and fronts over a shallow seahigh
English ChannelSea area, North-west EuropeShallow strait, wind against tidemoderate
Fishguard to RosslareFerry route, UK and IrelandStrong tides meeting open Celtic Sea swellmoderate
Flores SeaSea area, Eastern IndonesiaFast currents in the island channelsmoderate
Fort Lauderdale to BiminiFerry route, North AmericaWind against the Gulf Stream's currentmoderate
Fort Myers Beach to Key West (Key West Express)Ferry route, North AmericaA long open-Gulf run at speedmoderate
Foveaux StraitSea area, Southern New ZealandRoaring Forties swell over a shallow seawayvery high
Galway BaySea area, West of IrelandAtlantic swell entering through the Aran soundsmoderate
Geelong to Devonport (Spirit of Tasmania)Ferry route, Australia and New ZealandOcean swell shortening over a 60 m shelfhigh
German BightSea area, North Sea coast of GermanyShallow open bight with tidal channelshigh
Great Australian BightSea area, Southern AustraliaSouthern Ocean swell with unlimited fetchhigh
Gulf of CaliforniaSea area, MexicoLong, deep gulf, brief chubasco stormsmoderate
Gulf of FinlandSea area, Finland and EstoniaNarrow gulf, wind along its axismoderate
Gulf of MexicoSea area, North AmericaWinter northers behind cold frontsmoderate
Gulf of PenasSea area, Chilean PatagoniaOpen Pacific, westerly stormsvery high
Heysham to DouglasFerry route, UK and IrelandThe year-round workhorse across open watermoderate
Hirtshals to KristiansandFerry route, Northern EuropeNorth Sea swell funnelled into the Skagerrakmoderate
Hirtshals to LarvikFerry route, Northern EuropeThe longer diagonal across the open Skagerrakmoderate
Holyhead to DublinFerry route, UK and IrelandWind against strong tidal streamsmoderate
Hyannis to NantucketFerry route, North AmericaShallow sound chop under fast catamaransmoderate
Inside PassageSea area, North Pacific. Worst level of its year.Island shelter, except at its open crossingsmoderate
Irish SeaSea area, British IslesWind against strong tidal streamsmoderate
Jeju StraitSea area, South KoreaWinter wind over a strait between two seashigh
KattegatSea area, Denmark and SwedenShallow sea with tiny tidesmoderate
Korea StraitSea area, East AsiaMonsoon chop over a shallow shelfmoderate
Lake HuronSea area, Great Lakes (Ontario and Michigan)Open fetch, winds from any quarterhigh
Liverpool to BelfastFerry route, UK and IrelandThe long diagonal of the Irish Seamoderate
Liverpool to DouglasFerry route, UK and IrelandOpen Irish Sea, two very different hullsmoderate
Long Beach to Catalina IslandFerry route, North AmericaPacific ground swell under fast hullsmoderate
Long Island SoundSea area, New York and ConnecticutSheltered sound, long east-west fetchmoderate
Monterey BaySea area, Central CaliforniaWinter storms and swell in an open bightmoderate
Moreton BaySea area, Brisbane, AustraliaShallow bay behind sand islands, wind chopmoderate
Mykonos to SantoriniFerry route, Southern EuropeBeam-on to the meltemi in small fast crafthigh
Nantucket SoundSea area, Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Worst level of its year.Winter gales over shoal-filled watermoderate
Naples to CapriFerry route, Southern Europe. Worst level of its year.Small fast hulls on an open bay approachmoderate
Naples to PalermoFerry route, Southern EuropeA full-length open Tyrrhenian nightmoderate
Newhaven to DieppeFerry route, UK and IrelandOpen mid-Channel, longer in the swellmoderate
Nice to BastiaFerry route, Southern EuropeOpen Ligurian Sea on fast hullsmoderate
Oslo to KielFerry route, Northern EuropeBig ships, one open strait in the middlemoderate
Pembroke to RosslareFerry route, UK and IrelandThe longer diagonal across St George's Channelmoderate
Pillsbury SoundSea area, US Virgin IslandsTrade-wind chop in a small soundmoderate
Piraeus to Heraklion (Crete)Ferry route, Southern EuropeThe full meltemi fetch, slept through on big shipsmoderate
Piraeus to MykonosFerry route, Southern EuropeOpen central Aegean in the meltemi's lanemoderate
Piraeus to SantoriniFerry route, Southern EuropeThe long run down the meltemi's fetchmoderate
Playa del Carmen to CozumelFerry route, Caribbean and Latin AmericaWind against the Yucatan currentmoderate
Plymouth to RoscoffFerry route, UK and IrelandThe Channel's open Atlantic doorwaymoderate
Point Judith to Block IslandFerry route, North AmericaA short hop open to Atlantic swellmoderate
Poole to CherbourgFerry route, UK and IrelandOpen mid-Channel on the beammoderate
Port Angeles to Victoria (MV Coho)Ferry route, North AmericaStraight across the Pacific's doorwaymoderate
Portsmouth to CaenFerry route, UK and IrelandLong open leg across the central Channelmoderate
Portsmouth to St MaloFerry route, UK and IrelandThe longest Channel crossing, slept throughmoderate
Prince William SoundSea area, South-central AlaskaSheltered fjords, Gulf swell at the entrancemoderate
Resurrection BaySea area, Southcentral AlaskaSheltered fjord, open Gulf of Alaska swell beyondmoderate
Rottnest ChannelSea area, Western AustraliaOpen-shelf swell, summer sea breezemoderate
Saint John to Digby (Fundy Rose)Ferry route, North America. Worst level of its year.The world's biggest tides, mostly behavingmoderate
Salish SeaSea area, North Pacific. Worst level of its year.Mountain-sheltered basins, one strait open to the Pacificmoderate
San Francisco BaySea area, Northern CaliforniaFunneled summer sea breeze and tidal swirlsmoderate
Sea of ร…landSea area, Sweden and the ร…land IslandsDeep basin joined to the open Balticmoderate
Seattle to Victoria (Victoria Clipper)Ferry route, North AmericaTwo sheltered hours, one open straitmoderate
Singapore StraitSea area, South-east AsiaSheltered strait, monsoon wind chopmoderate
Sir Francis Drake ChannelSea area, British Virgin IslandsSteady trade winds between islandsmoderate
SkagerrakSea area, ScandinaviaNorth Sea swell funneled into a narrowing straitmoderate
South China SeaSea area, Southeast AsiaNortheast monsoon wind over a deep, open seahigh
Split to HvarFerry route, Southern EuropeIsland-sheltered channel, bora-day exceptionmoderate
St George's ChannelSea area, Wales and IrelandChannel linking the Celtic Sea and the Irish Seahigh
Stockholm to HelsinkiFerry route, Northern EuropeArchipelago shelter, one open Baltic gapmoderate
Stockholm to TallinnFerry route, Northern EuropeThe open Baltic Proper in the middle of the nightmoderate
Strait of MagellanSea area, Southern ChileNarrows, strong tide and windhigh
Sydney HarbourSea area, New South Wales, AustraliaHarbour with an open ocean entrancemoderate
Table BaySea area, South AfricaOpen to the north-west, winter storm wavesmoderate
Taiwan StraitSea area, TaiwanNortheast monsoon over a shallow straithigh
Tasman SeaSea area, South-west Pacific2,000 km of unbroken westerly fetchhigh
Tsugaru StraitSea area, JapanWinter monsoon seas into a 20 km gaphigh
Valletta to Pozzallo (Malta to Sicily)Ferry route, Southern EuropeAn open channel crossed at 38 knotsmoderate
Verde Island PassageSea area, PhilippinesTwo monsoons and a typhoon seasonmoderate
Vineyard SoundSea area, Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Worst level of its year.Wind against tidal current at West Chopmoderate
Wadden SeaSea area, Netherlands, Germany and DenmarkSheltered tidal flats, wind-driven chopmoderate
Wellington to PictonFerry route, Australia and New Zealand75 exposed minutes in a wind funnelhigh

Calm in March: 22 of 202

The settled end of this water's year, when most passages pass without much motion worth noticing.

Seas and ferry routes rated calm in March
Sea or routeWhat drives itRest of its year
Andaman SeaSea area, Thailand and the Andaman IslandsMonsoon winds over deep open watermoderate
Auckland to Waiheke IslandFerry route, Australia and New ZealandAn island-sheltered gulf commutelow
Backstairs PassageSea area, South AustraliaNarrow tidal channel, Southern Ocean windhigh
Bali (Padangbai) to Gili TrawanganFerry route, AsiaDeep strait currents under small fast boatshigh
Caribbean SeaSea area, CaribbeanTrade winds, winter surges and hurricane seasonmoderate
Chumphon to Koh TaoFerry route, AsiaGulf chop on the opposite monsoon calendarmoderate
Gulf of St. LawrenceSea area, Eastern CanadaOpen gulf, autumn wind waves, winter icehigh
Gulf of ThailandSea area, South-east AsiaShallow gulf, monsoon wind chopmoderate
Ha Long BaySea area, Northern VietnamIsland-shielded bay, storm-season closuresmoderate
Hauraki GulfSea area, New ZealandProtected gulf, exposed to north windsmoderate
Helsinki to TallinnFerry route, Northern EuropeA short hop on outsized shipslow
Hong Kong to MacauFerry route, AsiaAn estuary that opens to the South China Seamoderate
Lake ErieSea area, Great Lakes (Ohio and Ontario)Shallow lake, seas build fasthigh
Pearl River EstuarySea area, Southern ChinaShallow estuary, monsoon wind and typhoonsmoderate
Phuket to Koh Phi PhiFerry route, AsiaA 45 km open Andaman crossing with two seasonsmoderate
Puttgarden to RodbyFerry route, Northern EuropeA 45 minute belt hop with land in sightlow
Seattle to Bainbridge IslandFerry route, North AmericaThe sheltered sound's flagship commutelow
Strait of MalaccaSea area, Malaysia and IndonesiaSheltered strait with Sumatra squallsmoderate
Turku to StockholmFerry route, Northern EuropeOne of Europe's calmest long ferry rideslow
Vancouver (Tsawwassen) to Victoria (Swartz Bay)Ferry route, North AmericaOpen strait first, island maze afterlow
Woods Hole to Martha's VineyardFerry route, North AmericaThe shorter, more sheltered island runlow
Zanzibar ChannelSea area, East AfricaOpen Indian Ocean channel, monsoon windsmoderate

How March compares with the months either side

Coming out of February, 5 of these waters move up a level and 98 move down. The rest hold where they were. Roughness does not switch on in one month: most of these waters shift a step at a time, which is why the shoulder months either side of a bad season are often the useful booking window.

The two hemispheres also run opposite. A month at the calm end of the year in the North Atlantic is the hard end of it in the Southern Ocean, so a single month page holds both a list of waters to avoid and a list to book.

Sailing somewhere on this list in March?

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Levels on this page are the typical seasonal patterns published on each sea and route page, drawn from marine and operator information as of September 2026. They are not forecasts. Route and operator names are trademarks of their respective owners; Dizzout is not affiliated with or endorsed by them. This page is informational and not medical advice.