Dawn patrol surfing in Seal Beach

Seal Beach, California

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

First light in Seal 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

6:39 AM
First Light: 6:09 AM

Day length: 12h 16m

-2 min vs yesterday

Sunrise

6:39 AM

First light: 6:09 AM

Sunset

6:55 PM

Last light: 7:25 PM

Data from Seal Beach Pier · Updated daily

7-Day Sun Schedule

Today(Today)

Sunrise

6:39 AM

Sunset

6:55 PM

Day Length

12h 16m

Tomorrow

Sunrise

6:40 AM

Sunset

6:53 PM

Day Length

12h 14m

Tue, Sep 22

Sunrise

6:41 AM

Sunset

6:52 PM

Day Length

12h 11m

Wed, Sep 23

Sunrise

6:41 AM

Sunset

6:51 PM

Day Length

12h 9m

Thu, Sep 24

Sunrise

6:42 AM

Sunset

6:49 PM

Day Length

12h 7m

Fri, Sep 25

Sunrise

6:43 AM

Sunset

6:48 PM

Day Length

12h 5m

Best dawn patrol spots in Seal Beach

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Featured Beaches(1)

Seal Beach Pier

Beginner friendly

Seal Beach Pier is a classic pier break at the northern edge of Orange County.

Dawn patrol access guide for Seal Beach

Parking and access info for early morning sessions before sunrise.

Seal Beach Pier
beach
beginner-intermediate

Seal Beach Pier is a classic pier break at the northern edge of Orange County.

Early access

The 8th Street area is especially practical because Marine Safety headquarters is located in that beach-lot zone.

Parking

Best public beach-lot options are the 1st Street, 8th Street, and 10th Street lots; Main Street lots are another option but have time limits and paid-hour enforcement.

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 Seal 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 Seal Beach

Dawn patrol in Seal 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.

Check it, surf it, log it

Check the forecast, surf the session, log what happened — and build the record you'll compare every next call against.

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