Blackies
Newport Pier
Now
Thu Nov 5 · 12–3 PM forecast
2–3 ftthigh to waist
Best tomorrow · Fri 6
Compare bothNothing good left today.
Best tomorrow · Fri 6, 8:45 to 9:30 AM Pacific.
then the wind picks up
1–2 ft · knee to thigh
Small waves, more fun on a longboard, and light wind off the land keeps them smooth.
Show on chart ↓
Onshore: wind from sea to land. It can make the waves choppy.
Rising tide: the water level is going up; 0.5–3.0 ft is this spot’s best range.
Water temperature is in °F; a swimsuit is enough for warmer water, depending on how cold you feel. This is the latest water reading, not a forecast for the session.
Buoy-checked: a live ocean buoy near this spot keeps this forecast honest.
Blackies surf guide
Newport's longboard beach by the pier, mellow most of the year · 2 things to watch
Blackies guide
Newport's longboard beach by the pier, mellow most of the year.
- Good for
- Longboarders and improving beginners on small days.
- The wave
- Soft sandbar peaks from the pier north to the 28th Street jetty.
- Watch for
- Every level in one crowd.
- Strong rip currents.
- Best when
- Best on a WSW to WNW swell (250°–290°) with ENE offshore wind, at low to mid tide (about 0.5–3 ft).
MoreLess about Blackies
Longboards at 1.5–4 ft. Most consistent in fall and winter.
Little swell reaches it in summer, so it often runs smaller than the jetties up the beach. Winter changes that: a decent swell stands the peaks up steeper and packs the lineup.
Named after the bar behind the beach, it doubles as a social club for loggers of every age.
Lifeguards can blackball the beach quickly on crowded summer days, clearing hard boards from the water.
- Local tip
- Park in the metered lot on the sea wall and you can check the sets without leaving the car. It fills soon after dawn.
GOOD TIDE TODAY9:40 AM–4:10 PM
Guide updated October 2026
Spot research: WannaSurf, Mondo Surf, Surf-Forecast, Wikipedia, SoCal Forecast, American Surf Magazine, West Oceanfront Magazine, Deepswell, Los Angeles Times and City of Newport Beach.
Send a spot correctionLive buoy San Pedro South
- WAVES
- 3.3 ft
- PERIOD
- 13s
- FROM
- SW 233°
- WATER
- 75°
Observed 1:30 PM · 52 min old
7-day surf
LB longboard · SB shortboard
Thu 12 PM · now
2–3 ft · thigh to waist ·
7 mph onshore · tide 0.9 ft falling
Swell near the beach: 2.5 ft every 11 s from SSW
| Time | Surf | Rating | Wind | Tide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu 12 AM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair, dark hours | 3 mph offshore | 0.6 ft and rising |
| Thu 3 AM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair | 4 mph, gusts 7, offshore | 2.9 ft and rising |
| Thu 6 AM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Poor–Fair | 5 mph, gusts 12, offshore | 5.5 ft and rising |
| Thu 9 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair | 2 mph glassy | 3.7 ft and falling |
| Thu 12 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor | 7 mph onshore | 0.9 ft and falling |
| Thu 3 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Poor–Fair, shortboard Poor | 11 mph, gusts 13, onshore | 1.8 ft and rising |
| Thu 6 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor, dark hours | 9 mph, gusts 14, cross-onshore | 4.3 ft and rising |
| Thu 9 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Poor–Fair, dark hours | 5 mph offshore | 3.2 ft and falling |
| Fri 12 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Poor–Fair, dark hours | 6 mph, gusts 7, offshore | 1.0 ft and falling |
| Fri 3 AM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor | 6 mph offshore | 2.6 ft and rising |
| Fri 6 AM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor | 5 mph offshore | 5.6 ft and rising |
| Fri 9 AM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor | 5 mph, gusts 8, cross-offshore | 4.4 ft and falling |
| Fri 12 PM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor | 7 mph, gusts 8, cross-onshore | 0.8 ft and falling |
| Fri 3 PM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Poor–Fair, shortboard Poor | 8 mph, gusts 10, onshore | 0.7 ft and rising |
| Fri 6 PM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor, dark hours | 4 mph, gusts 9, cross | 3.7 ft and rising |
| Fri 9 PM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor, dark hours | 9 mph, gusts 12, offshore | 3.7 ft and falling |
| Sat 12 AM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor, dark hours | 9 mph, gusts 22, offshore | 1.5 ft and falling |
| Sat 3 AM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor | 11 mph, gusts 22, offshore | 2.4 ft and rising |
| Sat 6 AM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Poor–Fair, shortboard Poor | 15 mph, gusts 32, offshore | 5.5 ft and rising |
| Sat 9 AM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Poor–Fair, shortboard Poor | 7 mph, gusts 11, cross-onshore | 5.0 ft and falling |
| Sat 12 PM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor | 7 mph cross-offshore | 1.2 ft and falling |
| Sat 3 PM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Poor–Fair, shortboard Poor | 8 mph cross-onshore | 0.0 ft and rising |
| Sat 6 PM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Poor–Fair, shortboard Poor, dark hours | 8 mph, gusts 13, onshore | 2.8 ft and rising |
| Sat 9 PM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor, dark hours | 2 mph glassy | 4.0 ft and falling |
| Sun 12 AM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor, dark hours | 3 mph, gusts 4, offshore | 2.1 ft and falling |
| Sun 3 AM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor | 3 mph, gusts 5, offshore | 2.3 ft and rising |
| Sun 6 AM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Flat | 3 mph, gusts 5, offshore | 5.3 ft and rising |
| Sun 9 AM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Poor–Fair, shortboard Flat | 1 mph, gusts 4, glassy | 5.5 ft and falling |
| Sun 12 PM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Poor–Fair, shortboard Poor | 5 mph onshore | 1.7 ft and falling |
| Sun 3 PM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Poor–Fair, shortboard Poor | 6 mph onshore | −0.4 ft and rising |
| Sun 6 PM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Poor–Fair, shortboard Poor, dark hours | 4 mph, gusts 6, onshore | 1.9 ft and rising |
| Sun 9 PM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Flat, dark hours | 4 mph, gusts 5, cross-offshore | 3.9 ft and falling |
| Mon 12 AM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor, dark hours | 3 mph, gusts 4, offshore | 2.6 ft and falling |
| Mon 3 AM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor | 3 mph, gusts 4, offshore | 2.3 ft and rising |
| Mon 6 AM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor | 3 mph offshore | 5.0 ft and rising |
| Mon 9 AM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor | 2 mph, gusts 4, glassy | 5.8 ft and falling |
| Mon 12 PM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor | 4 mph onshore | 2.4 ft and falling |
| Mon 3 PM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Poor–Fair, shortboard Poor | 5 mph onshore | −0.4 ft and falling |
| Mon 6 PM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor, dark hours | 4 mph, gusts 6, onshore | 1.1 ft and rising |
| Mon 9 PM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor, dark hours | 2 mph glassy | 3.6 ft and rising |
| Tue 12 AM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor, dark hours | 1 mph glassy | 3.0 ft and falling |
| Tue 3 AM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor–Fair | 2 mph glassy | 2.4 ft and rising |
| Tue 6 AM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor | 2 mph glassy | 4.6 ft and rising |
| Tue 9 AM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor | 3 mph cross-offshore | 5.8 ft and falling |
| Tue 12 PM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor | 4 mph onshore | 3.1 ft and falling |
| Tue 3 PM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Poor–Fair, shortboard Poor | 6 mph onshore | −0.1 ft and falling |
| Tue 6 PM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor, dark hours | 4 mph, gusts 5, onshore | 0.5 ft and rising |
| Tue 9 PM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor, dark hours | 2 mph, gusts 3, glassy | 3.1 ft and rising |
| Wed 12 AM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor, dark hours | 0 mph, gusts 1, glassy | 3.2 ft and falling |
| Wed 3 AM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor | 1 mph glassy | 2.5 ft and rising |
| Wed 6 AM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor | 2 mph glassy | 4.2 ft and rising |
| Wed 9 AM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor | 1 mph, gusts 2, glassy | 5.7 ft and falling |
| Wed 12 PM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Poor–Fair, shortboard Poor | 4 mph onshore | 3.7 ft and falling |
| Wed 3 PM | Waves unavailable | Longboard Unavailable, shortboard Unavailable | 7 mph onshore | 0.5 ft and falling |
| Wed 6 PM | Waves unavailable | Longboard Unavailable, shortboard Unavailable, dark hours | 6 mph, gusts 8, onshore | 0.2 ft and rising |
| Wed 9 PM | Waves unavailable | Longboard Unavailable, shortboard Unavailable, dark hours | 3 mph, gusts 5, onshore | 2.4 ft and rising |
Today’s tide
GOOD 9:40 AM–4:10 PM
Balboa Pier · feet above low water
Swell
Primary ·
W273°
Secondary ·
S185°
Primary is the main displayed swell by wave energy; another swell can affect this spot more because of its direction.
Short period means closely spaced waves; they usually have less push than a similar-size swell with longer gaps.
Secondary is another swell in the water; it can add waves from a different direction.
Period: seconds between waves; longer gaps usually mean more powerful waves, depending on size and direction.
Wave forecast checked against the live San Pedro South buoy.
Updated 2:03 PM · CDIP/Scripps, Open-Meteo and NOAA.
Common questions
Is Blackies good for beginners?
Yes when it’s small; bigger days suit surfers with some experience.
What tide is best at Blackies?
It’s best at low to mid tide (about 0.5–3 ft).
What swell works at Blackies?
A WSW to WNW swell (250°–290°) is best, with ENE offshore wind. It picks up swell from S to WNW (175°–300°). Most consistent in fall and winter.
What board should I ride at Blackies?
It’s mainly a longboard wave, best at 1.5–4 ft.
What should I watch out for at Blackies?
Every level in one crowd; and strong rip currents.