Tide conditions for Carmel surf spots

Carmel, California

Updated Refreshed hourly · Tide data refreshes every 30 minutes from NOAA stations.

A foot of tide swing can shut down one break and light up another in Carmel. These 1 spots all respond differently - some need the low to expose the bar, others clean up on a rising mid.

Current Tide

4.8ft
Rising

Next High

10:03 PM

6.879 ft

NOAA tide data via Monterey

Beach Tide Preferences

Each beach performs best at a specific tide range and direction. Plan your session around these windows.

Monastery Beach / San Jose Creek Beach

expert
1.0ft–4.0ft

Top spot recommendations

Sort your quiver, choose the right tide window, and jot down a backup in case the main peak gets stacked.

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Featured Beaches(4)

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.

Monastery Beach / San Jose Creek Beach

Intermediate to expert

Monastery Beach is included only as an expert and hazard research entry. Reliable public sources emphasize scuba use and dangerous water conditions more than ordinary surf use.

What to focus on today

  • Annotated tide windows tied to specific breaks
  • How lunar cycles reshape sandbars through the season
  • Safety notes for rip-prone outbound tides
  • Session planning tips for dawn patrol versus sunset

Frequently Asked Questions

About surfing in Carmel

Tide preferences vary by spot in Carmel. Generally, incoming mid-tides work well for most beaches, offering a good balance of wave shape and power. Check individual spot guides for specific tide recommendations.
Tides significantly impact surf conditions in Carmel. Low tide can expose reefs and sandbars creating hollow waves, while high tide often creates softer, more forgiving waves. Mid-tide transitions typically offer the most consistent conditions.
You can check tide charts for Carmel on Quiver's surf forecast pages, NOAA tide predictions, or various surf forecast apps. Quiver provides real-time tide information integrated with surf conditions for accurate session planning.

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