Dawn patrol surfing in Carolina Beach

Carolina Beach, North Carolina

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

First light in Carolina Beach means glass, empty peaks, and the best conditions of the day before thermal onshores build. These 1 spots are worth the 5am alarm.

Sunrise

6:02 AM

First Light: 5:32 AM

Day length: 14h 25m

Same as yesterday

Sunrise

6:02 AM

First light: 5:32 AM

Sunset

8:27 PM

Last light: 8:57 PM

Data from Carolina Beach· Updated daily

7-Day Sun Schedule

7-day sun schedule showing sunrise, sunset, and day length
Day	Sunrise	Sunset	Day Length
Today(Today)	6:02 AM	8:27 PM	14h 25m
Tomorrow	6:02 AM	8:27 PM	14h 25m
Sat, Jun 27	6:03 AM	8:28 PM	14h 25m
Sun, Jun 28	6:03 AM	8:28 PM	14h 25m
Mon, Jun 29	6:03 AM	8:28 PM	14h 24m
Tue, Jun 30	6:04 AM	8:28 PM	14h 24m
Wed, Jul 1	6:04 AM	8:28 PM	14h 24m

Today(Today)

Sunrise

6:02 AM

Sunset

8:27 PM

Day Length

14h 25m

Tomorrow

Sunrise

6:02 AM

Sunset

8:27 PM

Day Length

14h 25m

Sat, Jun 27

Sunrise

6:03 AM

Sunset

8:28 PM

Day Length

14h 25m

Sun, Jun 28

Sunrise

6:03 AM

Sunset

8:28 PM

Day Length

14h 25m

Mon, Jun 29

Sunrise

6:03 AM

Sunset

8:28 PM

Day Length

14h 24m

Tue, Jun 30

Sunrise

6:04 AM

Sunset

8:28 PM

Day Length

14h 24m

Wed, Jul 1

Sunrise

6:04 AM

Sunset

8:28 PM

Day Length

14h 24m

Best dawn patrol spots in Carolina Beach

Featured Beaches

1 spots

Carolina Beach

Beginner friendly

Carolina Beach is one of the most approachable beginner surf zones in North Carolina, with a gently sloping beach, forgiving summer surf, and enough room to spread out away from the busiest peaks.

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Featured Beaches(1)

Carolina Beach

Beginner friendly

Carolina Beach is one of the most approachable beginner surf zones in North Carolina, with a gently sloping beach, forgiving summer surf, and enough room to spread out away from the busiest peaks.

Dawn patrol access guide for Carolina Beach

Parking and access info for early morning sessions before sunrise.

Carolina Beach

beach

beginner-intermediate

Carolina Beach is one of the most approachable beginner surf zones in North Carolina, with a gently sloping beach, forgiving summer surf, and enough room to spread out away from the busiest peaks.

Early access

Pick a lifeguarded access and walk a little off the boardwalk crowd to find a softer sandbar with more room.

Parking

Paid public lots and street parking are closest to the boardwalk. Arrive before 9am on warm weekends.

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 Carolina Beach

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

Frequently Asked Questions

About surfing in Carolina Beach

: Dawn patrol in Carolina Beach 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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