Finding the pulse of the reef...
This week
snorkel & freedive readBest day this week: Sunday, 7 AM–3 PM. Still an early read.
Next 12 hours
Partly cloudy now, clear moving in around 8 AM.
Conditions
Visibility, water, current, and wind. The in-water read.
Visibility
Decent
Calm wind · Recent / incoming rain
Water
72°
3 mm
Current
0.1 kt
slack
Surge
10.6s
low surge
Wind
0 mph
cross NW
Visibility is an estimate — wind, rain, tide & water alerts.
The spot
The things that stay true when the weather changes.
San Diego Lifeguards call this one of the city's busiest beaches, and it draws its largest crowds through summer.
Free street parking near the beach, plus paid lots nearby.
Checked 2026-08-26. Sources: City of San Diego Lifeguard Services: Pacific Beach, City of San Diego Lifeguard Services: rip currents, California Beaches, CDFW: South La Jolla State Marine Reserve.
Tides & Sky
When the water moves, and how bright the night.
Calmest water was
4:11 PM – 6:11 PM
Low slack · Low evening sun · Least current
That window has passed — the water settles again at the next slack tide.
High
10:38 AM
5.857ft
Low
5:11 PM
0.053ft
Waxing Crescent
8%
Daylight: 11h 29m · UV 5 Moderate
Life
The reef keeps its own calendar.
No recent observations
Long-billed Curlew · Willet · Western Bluebird · Cocos Booby · Clark's Grebe +6 more
Regulations
Take only what the season allows.
We've only loaded detailed seasons & limits for South Florida so far. For California, check the official source before you fish:
California saltwater regulationsOfficial source: CDFW· opens the agency site
Not perfect, but the reef is calling.
Snorkel: decent viz, cool 72 F water, 5-6 ft waves, 0 mph cross wind.
Best window was: 4:11 PM–6:11 PM · Low slack · Low evening sun · Least current