Dawn patrol surfing in Carmel-by-the-Sea

Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

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

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

Sunrise

5:52 AM
First Light: 5:22 AM

Day length: 14h 39m

Same as yesterday

Sunrise

5:52 AM

First light: 5:22 AM

Sunset

8:31 PM

Last light: 9:01 PM

Data from Carmel Beach· Updated daily

7-Day Sun Schedule

Today(Today)

Sunrise

5:52 AM

Sunset

8:31 PM

Day Length

14h 39m

Tomorrow

Sunrise

5:53 AM

Sunset

8:31 PM

Day Length

14h 38m

Tue, Jun 30

Sunrise

5:53 AM

Sunset

8:31 PM

Day Length

14h 38m

Wed, Jul 1

Sunrise

5:53 AM

Sunset

8:31 PM

Day Length

14h 37m

Thu, Jul 2

Sunrise

5:54 AM

Sunset

8:31 PM

Day Length

14h 37m

Best dawn patrol spots in Carmel-by-the-Sea

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Featured Beaches(3)

Carmel Beach

Intermediate

Main Carmel-by-the-Sea surf zone with several shifting beach-break peaks along the white-sand beach. Better for research as the core local spot, but conditions can change quickly with sandbars, tide, and wind.

Carmel River State Beach

Intermediate

A hazardous Carmel-area rivermouth and sandbar zone at Carmel River State Beach. Include for research completeness, but this is not a casual surf recommendation.

Garrapata State Beach (southern coves)

Intermediate

Remote, exposed beach-break zone on the north Big Sur coast. Garrapata is a coastal state park surf zone with meaningful rips, undertow, rocks, and shark risk.

Dawn patrol access guide for Carmel-by-the-Sea

Parking and access info for early morning sessions before sunrise.

Carmel Beach
beach
intermediate

Main Carmel-by-the-Sea surf zone with several shifting beach-break peaks along the white-sand beach. Better for research as the core local spot, but conditions can change quickly with sandbars, tide, and wind.

Early access

Easy beach access from town stairways and ramps. Dogs are commonly present on the beach, so account for extra activity near takeoff zones.

Parking

Use Ocean Avenue beach access or nearby street parking along Scenic Road and surrounding streets. Parking can fill on weekends and sunny afternoons.

Carmel River State Beach
river-mouth
lower-intermediate

A hazardous Carmel-area rivermouth and sandbar zone at Carmel River State Beach. Include for research completeness, but this is not a casual surf recommendation.

Early access

Scout carefully from shore. Avoid crossing unstable lagoon or river areas during flow or high surf.

Parking

Use Carmel River State Beach access. Parking and access can vary by season and beach or lagoon conditions.

Garrapata State Beach (southern coves)
beach
intermediate

Remote, exposed beach-break zone on the north Big Sur coast. Garrapata is a coastal state park surf zone with meaningful rips, undertow, rocks, and shark risk.

Early access

Stay on designated trails and account for bluff, surf, and road hazards. Services are limited.

Parking

Use legal Highway 1 pullouts and signed state park access points. Avoid blocking gates or private property.

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 Carmel-by-the-Sea

Conditions

Dawn Patrol
You're here
Sunset Sessions
Evening golden hour spots
Tide Windows
Optimal tidal conditions
Water Temperature
Conditions & wetsuit guide

Style

Beginner Spots
Gentle waves for learning
Longboard Spots
Mellow waves for logging
Less Crowded
Quieter lineups & backups

Frequently Asked Questions

About surfing in Carmel-by-the-Sea

Dawn patrol in Carmel-by-the-Sea 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.

Make the next surf call sharper

Check the forecast, surf the session, log what happened, and help Quiver keep tuning your local calls.

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