Dawn patrol surfing in Cape May

Cape May, New Jersey

Sunrise and first light times for planning your dawn patrol session.

First light in Cape May means glass, empty peaks, and the best conditions of the day before thermal onshores build. These 3 spots are worth the 5am alarm.

Sunrise

6:11 AM

First Light: 5:41 AM

Day length: 13h 49m

-2 min vs yesterday

Sunrise

6:11 AM

First light: 5:41 AM

Sunset

8:00 PM

Last light: 8:30 PM

Data from Broadway Beach· Updated daily

7-Day Sun Schedule

7-day sun schedule showing sunrise, sunset, and day length
Day	Sunrise	Sunset	Day Length
Today(Today)	6:11 AM	8:00 PM	13h 49m
Tomorrow	6:12 AM	7:59 PM	13h 47m
Sat, Aug 15	6:13 AM	7:57 PM	13h 44m
Sun, Aug 16	6:14 AM	7:56 PM	13h 42m
Mon, Aug 17	6:15 AM	7:55 PM	13h 40m

Today(Today)

Sunrise

6:11 AM

Sunset

8:00 PM

Day Length

13h 49m

Tomorrow

Sunrise

6:12 AM

Sunset

7:59 PM

Day Length

13h 47m

Sat, Aug 15

Sunrise

6:13 AM

Sunset

7:57 PM

Day Length

13h 44m

Sun, Aug 16

Sunrise

6:14 AM

Sunset

7:56 PM

Day Length

13h 42m

Mon, Aug 17

Sunrise

6:15 AM

Sunset

7:55 PM

Day Length

13h 40m

Best dawn patrol spots in Cape May

Featured Beaches

3 spots

Broadway Beach

Intermediate

Broadway Beach faces south — unique in NJ — making NE winds offshore here when everywhere else is blown out.

Poverty Beach

Advanced

Poverty Beach sits on Cape May's east-facing shore, producing hollow A-frames on solid E-SE swells. Advanced surfers only.

The Cove (Cape May)

Intermediate

The Cove is a rare NJ point break producing left tubes on solid south swells. One of the East Coast's best-kept secrets.

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Featured Beaches(3)

Broadway Beach

Intermediate

Broadway Beach faces south — unique in NJ — making NE winds offshore here when everywhere else is blown out.

Poverty Beach

Advanced

Poverty Beach sits on Cape May's east-facing shore, producing hollow A-frames on solid E-SE swells. Advanced surfers only.

The Cove (Cape May)

Intermediate

The Cove is a rare NJ point break producing left tubes on solid south swells. One of the East Coast's best-kept secrets.

Dawn patrol access guide for Cape May

Parking and access info for early morning sessions before sunrise.

Broadway Beach

jetty

intermediate

Broadway Beach faces south — unique in NJ — making NE winds offshore here when everywhere else is blown out.

Early access

Beach access at Broadway Avenue, Cape May.

Parking

Street parking and municipal lots in Cape May. Competitive in summer.

Poverty Beach

beach

advanced

Poverty Beach sits on Cape May's east-facing shore, producing hollow A-frames on solid E-SE swells. Advanced surfers only.

Early access

East end of Cape May. Walk from Poverty Beach parking area.

Parking

Free parking — one of the few free spots in Cape May.

The Cove (Cape May)

point

upper-intermediate

The Cove is a rare NJ point break producing left tubes on solid south swells. One of the East Coast's best-kept secrets.

Early access

South end of Cape May, near the lighthouse. Walk from Cape May Point State Park.

Parking

Cape May Point State Park parking. Limited spots.

Dawn patrol tips

Glassy morning conditions before onshore winds
Less crowded lineups at sunrise
East-facing beaches for sunrise views
Spots with easy parking for early arrivals

Surf Guides for Cape May

Conditions

Dawn Patrol

You're here

Sunset Sessions

Evening golden hour spots

Tide Windows

Optimal tidal conditions

Water Temperature

Conditions & wetsuit guide

Style

Less Crowded

Quieter lineups & backups

Frequently Asked Questions

About surfing in Cape May

: Dawn patrol in Cape May typically starts at first light, around 30 minutes before sunrise. This gives you the glassiest conditions before onshore winds develop.
: Early morning offers glassy conditions, fewer crowds, and calmer winds. Water temperature is also warmer relative to air temperature at sunrise.

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