Finding the pulse of the reef...
This week
snorkel & freedive readBest day this week: tomorrow, all day.
Next 12 hours
Partly cloudy for the next 12 hours, cooling to 75°.
Conditions
Visibility, water, current, and wind. The in-water read.
Visibility
Decent
Windy
Water
77°
2–3 mm
Current
0.8 kt
gentle drift
Surge
7.25s
minimal
Wind
15 mph
cross S
Visibility is an estimate — wind, rain, tide & water alerts.
The spot
The things that stay true when the weather changes.
Surfing is allowed only at the lifeguard stands the Beach Patrol designates for it, including The Cove and Poverty Beach at the beach's two ends. Surf fishing is confined to the unguarded stretch east of the Wilmington Avenue pipe, where fishing and surfing share the water with no lifeguard on duty.
Metered parking runs citywide from April 1, priced by color-coded zone from $1 to $3 an hour depending on location and how late into the year the zone stays in effect.
Checked 2026-08-27. Sources: City of Cape May: Beach Tag, City of Cape May: Beaches, City of Cape May: Beach Patrol, Cape May Beach Patrol: stand and permitted-activity map, City of Cape May: Convention Hall overview, City of Cape May: parking meter information, Cape May County Division of Aging & Disability Services: accessible beach guide (PDF), City of Cape May: veteran and active-duty beach tags.
Tides & Sky
When the water moves, and how bright the night.
Calmest water was
7:13 AM – 9:13 AM
High slack · Early light · Least current
That window has passed — the water settles again at the next slack tide.
High
8:27 PM
5.461ft
Low
2:33 AM
0.327ft
Full Moon
100%
Daylight: 13h 14m · UV 6 High
Life
The reef keeps its own calendar.
American Oystercatcher · Sanderling · Black Scoter · Snowy Egret · Eastern Kingbird +7 more
Regulations
Take only what the season allows.
We've only loaded detailed seasons & limits for South Florida so far. For New Jersey, check the official source before you fish:
New Jersey saltwater regulationsOfficial source: NJDEP Fish & Wildlife· opens the agency site
Now. The water is alive and waiting.
Snorkel: decent viz, warm 77 F water, 1-2 ft waves, 15 mph cross wind.
Best window was: 7:13 AM–9:13 AM · High slack · Early light · Least current