March 27, 2026 / Grade: C
3:00 PM Update — Grade C
Visibility: 10–13 ft
The 4 ft pilings on the right side of the frame are visible but lack sharp surface detail, appearing somewhat soft and washed out rather than crisp — a sign of moderate haze even at close range. The 11 ft pilings are discernible as a mid-distance structural element but show notable haziness and reduced contrast, with surface texture only vaguely suggested. No clearly identifiable third piling set at 14 ft can be confirmed — only two distinct tiers are reliably present, which by the counting rule places this at C or lower. The water is a characteristic mid-teal/blue-green color rather than deep blue, consistent with moderate turbidity and some suspended particulate matter. A school of small baitfish is visible mid-frame, which is typical but does not affect grading. Overall clarity is moderate at best, with visibility dropping off noticeably with distance. The absence of a confirmed third piling tier locks the grade at C.
The blue-green tint of the water suggests a moderate level of suspended particulates or plankton, reducing horizontal visibility significantly. The haze appears fairly uniform throughout the water column, pointing to well-mixed turbidity rather than a localized sediment plume near the bottom. Conditions appear typical of moderate coastal visibility, possibly influenced by recent swell activity stirring up fine sediment or a mild biological bloom.
Current conditions are marginal for recreational diving — acceptable for experienced divers with specific goals but not ideal for photography or casual exploration. Visibility may improve slightly later in the day if tidal flushing brings cleaner offshore water, particularly around the incoming high tide cycle.
• Wind: 9.2 mph
• Cloud Cover: 0%
• Water Temp: 68.7°F
• Chlorophyll: 0.37 mg/m³ (GREEN)
• Swell: 2.0 ft @ 11.0 sec from NW (294°) — favorable
• Tide: Unknown → next H at 05:23 (4.767 ft)
• Community Report: No report
12:00 PM Update — Grade C
Visibility: 10–13 ft
The 4 ft pilings on the right side of the frame are visible with moderate detail, showing surface texture and marine growth, though slightly softened by haze. The 11 ft pilings are detectable as somewhat defined vertical structures further right, but they lack sharp structural detail and are noticeably hazed. The 14 ft pilings cannot be identified as a distinct third tier — I can only confidently locate two piling sets, and no third set is clearly distinguishable beyond the 11 ft pilings. The water is a murky teal-green rather than deep blue, indicating moderate turbidity and likely suspended particulates or biological material. A loose school of small baitfish (likely anchovies or smelt) is mid-water, which is consistent with typical pier conditions. Overall clarity is moderate at best, with visibility dropping off quickly beyond the mid-range pilings.
The greenish tint to the water suggests elevated particulates, plankton, or sediment in suspension, which is consistent with moderate coastal turbidity typical of near-shore conditions at this site. The presence of schooling baitfish mid-column suggests a biologically active water column, which often correlates with plankton blooms that reduce horizontal visibility. Surface chop or recent mixing may be contributing to the suspended material reducing clarity.
Conditions are marginal for recreational diving — visibility is passable but not ideal, and the greenish murk limits the underwater experience significantly. If conditions follow a typical diurnal pattern, early morning slack tide periods sometimes offer a brief improvement; checking again near the next tidal shift may be worthwhile.
• Wind: 10.4 mph
• Cloud Cover: 0%
• Water Temp: 68.7°F
• Chlorophyll: 0.37 mg/m³ (GREEN)
• Swell: 2.0 ft @ 10.0 sec from NW (289°) — favorable
• Tide: Unknown → next H at 05:23 (4.767 ft)
• Community Report: No report
12:00 PM Update — Grade C
Visibility: 10–13 ft
The 4 ft pilings on the right side of the frame are visible but lack sharp surface detail — they appear soft-edged with biological growth (kelp/algae) discernible but no fine structural clarity. The 11 ft pilings are detectable as hazy mid-distance vertical forms but are noticeably indistinct, with structure blending into the blue-green water column. The 14 ft pilings cannot be confidently identified as a distinct third tier — at best there are vague shadowy suggestions of structure in the far background, but these do not meet the threshold of 'clearly visible with distinguishable structure.' Only two piling tiers can be independently confirmed, which per the counting rule caps the grade at C+ or lower. The water has a moderate blue-green tint with visible particle scatter throughout the mid-column, and a school of small fish is visible mid-frame, suggesting moderate but not exceptional clarity. Overall the scene reads as moderate visibility with meaningful haze beginning well before the 14 ft mark.
The blue-green water color and mid-column particulate scatter suggest moderate turbidity, likely a combination of suspended sediment and biological material such as phytoplankton. The presence of a visible fish school and relatively uniform light diffusion indicates the water is not severely degraded but lacks the deep blue clarity associated with good visibility days. Conditions appear consistent with typical Southern California near-pier moderate visibility, possibly influenced by mild surge or recent mixing.
Conditions are marginal — visibility is adequate for a casual dive but not ideal for photography or detailed observation work. If swell is currently easing, visibility may improve slightly later in the day during a slack or incoming tide period.
• Wind: 12.7 mph
• Cloud Cover: 0%
• Water Temp: 68.7°F
• Chlorophyll: 0.37 mg/m³ (GREEN)
• Swell: 2.0 ft @ 11.0 sec from NW (287°) — favorable
• Tide: Unknown → next H at 05:23 (4.767 ft)
• Community Report: No report
12:00 PM Update — Grade C
Visibility: 10–14 ft
The 4 ft pilings on the right side of the frame are visible with moderate detail, showing some surface texture and kelp growth, though contrast is somewhat reduced by haze. The 11 ft pilings are discernible as darker vertical columns in the mid-right portion of the frame, but they lack sharp structural definition and are clearly softened by particulate scatter. Looking beyond the 11 ft pilings into the water column, there is no clearly identifiable third distinct piling set — what lies at the 14 ft distance fades into a diffuse blue-green haze with no distinguishable structure. Because only two piling tiers can be confidently identified, the COUNTING RULE mandates a grade of C or lower. The water has a characteristic blue-green tint with moderate turbidity and a noticeable school of small baitfish (likely anchovies) scattered throughout, suggesting moderate planktonic or suspended particulate content.
The blue-green water color and moderate haze suggest a mix of plankton and fine suspended particulates common during rising tide conditions, which can push nearshore turbid water under the pier. The presence of a dense baitfish school is consistent with moderate-visibility, nutrient-rich water typical of upwelling or tidal flux periods rather than a clean oceanic water mass.
Conditions are marginal for diving — visibility is adequate for a recreational dive but not ideal for photography or detailed observation. Conditions may improve later if the tide stabilizes or drops, so checking the camera again near or after high tide slack could reveal a better window later in the evening.
• Wind: 6.7 mph
• Cloud Cover: 3%
• Water Temp: 68.0°F
• Chlorophyll: None mg/m³ (ERROR)
• Swell: 2.0 ft @ 10.0 sec from NW (292°) — favorable
• Tide: Rising → next H at 19:41 (3.781 ft)
• Community Report: No report
8:35 AM · Grade C+ · 10–15 ft
Moderate clarity this morning — the close piling structure is sharp and fish near the camera are crisp, but the background fades into blue-green haze before you hit the mid-range. No heavy particulate kick, just a soft veil sitting in the column. Better than yesterday's murk but not a viz day.
Three swell trains mixing right now: 1.9 ft at 10 seconds from the WNW, a 1.3 ft southwest at 14 seconds, and a smaller 0.8 ft chop from the WSW. Net result on the surface is minimal — the periods are long enough that they're not stacking into chop. That 14-second southwest energy is the one to watch though; longer-period swell reaches deeper and can stir the bottom even when the surface looks flat. Wind is essentially nothing at 0.3 mph, which helps. Tide is sitting mid-range at 3.4 ft MLLW.
Good window right now through early afternoon before the tide shift. Solid for critter hunting or training dives — just don't expect to see the reef from 20 ft out.
- Primary Swell: 1.9 ft @ 10s WNW
- Secondary Swell: 1.3 ft @ 14s SW
- Tertiary Swell: 0.8 ft @ 10s WSW
- Wind: 0.3 mph SW — flat calm
- Chlorophyll: Moderate (when available)
- Tide: 2.7 ft now / -0.6 ft at 12:51 pm, / 2.4 ft at 5:00 pm
- Water temp: 65°F
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