Salt Creek
Salt Creek Point · Salt Creek Beach
Now
Thu Nov 5 · 12–3 PM forecast
3–4 ftwaist to chest
Best tomorrow · Fri 6
Compare bothNothing good left today.
Best tomorrow · Fri 6, 6 to 8:45 AM Pacific.
then the wind picks up
2–3 ft · thigh to waist
On the small side for a longboard; light wind off the land keeps it smooth.
Salt Creek surf guide
Dana Point's busy cove, known for the left at the Point · 4 things to watch
Salt Creek guide
Dana Point's busy cove, known for the left at the Point.
- Good for
- Intermediates and up, on any board.
- The wave
- A left off the Point's rocks, plus shifting beach peaks.
- Watch for
- Inside rocks at low tide.
- Weekend crowds fill the cove.
- Salt Creek drains into the cove: stay out 72 hours after rain.
- Rips when it’s big.
- Best when
- Best on a S to WNW swell (190°–285°) with ENE offshore wind, at mid to high tide (about 2.5–5.5 ft).
MoreLess about Salt Creek
Longboards at 2–4.5 ft, shortboards at 3–8 ft. Most consistent in spring and summer.
The cove splits into three breaks: the Point; the shifting peaks mid-beach; and Gravels, a heavy shore pound beside the golf course that bodyboarders favor.
Summer south swells and winter west swells both reach it, so it breaks most of the year. Rips and undertow pick up once there's size.
The tidepools at either end are protected: look, but don't take anything.
- Local tip
- Park in the paid county lot on Ritz-Carlton Drive, then walk the paved trail and tunnel to the sand. Free spaces sit across PCH.
GOOD TIDE TODAY5:47–9:50 AM3:30–5:21 PM
Guide updated October 2026
Spot research: WannaSurf, Surf-Forecast, Ghostfingers, The Outbound, Surf Trips, Thalia Surf, Deepswell, OC Parks, Wikipedia and OC Beach Info.
Send a spot correctionLive buoy Capistrano Beach Nearshore
- WAVES
- 3.0 ft
- PERIOD
- 12s
- FROM
- SW 233°
- WATER
- 74°
Observed 1:30 PM · 53 min old
7-day surf
LB longboard · SB shortboard
Thu 12 PM · now
3–4 ft · waist to chest ·
6 mph onshore · tide 0.8 ft falling
Swell near the beach: 3.2 ft every 13 s from SW
| Time | Surf | Rating | Wind | Tide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu 12 AM | 4–5 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good, dark hours | 4 mph cross-offshore | 0.6 ft and rising |
| Thu 3 AM | 4–5 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good | 5 mph, gusts 7, cross-offshore | 3.1 ft and rising |
| Thu 6 AM | 4–5 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good | 3 mph offshore | 5.5 ft and rising |
| Thu 9 AM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good | 4 mph cross | 3.5 ft and falling |
| Thu 12 PM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor–Fair | 6 mph onshore | 0.8 ft and falling |
| Thu 3 PM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor–Fair | 8 mph, gusts 10, onshore | 2.0 ft and rising |
| Thu 6 PM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Fair, dark hours | 7 mph, gusts 13, cross-onshore | 4.4 ft and rising |
| Thu 9 PM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good, dark hours | 7 mph, gusts 14, cross-offshore | 3.0 ft and falling |
| Fri 12 AM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Fair, dark hours | 6 mph, gusts 8, cross-offshore | 0.9 ft and falling |
| Fri 3 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good | 6 mph offshore | 2.7 ft and rising |
| Fri 6 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Fair | 4 mph, gusts 7, cross-offshore | 5.7 ft and rising |
| Fri 9 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor–Fair | 5 mph, gusts 6, cross-onshore | 4.2 ft and falling |
| Fri 12 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Poor–Fair, shortboard Poor–Fair | 6 mph onshore | 0.7 ft and falling |
| Fri 3 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Poor–Fair, shortboard Poor | 10 mph, gusts 13, cross-onshore | 1.0 ft and rising |
| Fri 6 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Poor–Fair, shortboard Poor, dark hours | 11 mph, gusts 20, cross-onshore | 3.9 ft and rising |
| Fri 9 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor–Fair, dark hours | 11 mph, gusts 15, offshore | 3.6 ft and falling |
| Sat 12 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor–Fair, dark hours | 8 mph, gusts 9, cross-offshore | 1.4 ft and falling |
| Sat 3 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor–Fair | 4 mph, gusts 7, offshore | 2.5 ft and rising |
| Sat 6 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor–Fair | 4 mph cross-offshore | 5.7 ft and rising |
| Sat 9 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor–Fair | 4 mph, gusts 7, cross-offshore | 4.9 ft and falling |
| Sat 12 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Poor–Fair, shortboard Poor | 5 mph onshore | 1.0 ft and falling |
| Sat 3 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Poor–Fair, shortboard Poor | 6 mph, gusts 11, onshore | 0.2 ft and rising |
| Sat 6 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor–Fair, dark hours | 7 mph, gusts 18, cross-onshore | 3.2 ft and rising |
| Sat 9 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor–Fair, dark hours | 4 mph, gusts 7, offshore | 3.9 ft and falling |
| Sun 12 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor–Fair, dark hours | 3 mph offshore | 1.9 ft and falling |
| Sun 3 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor–Fair | 4 mph offshore | 2.3 ft and rising |
| Sun 6 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor–Fair | 5 mph offshore | 5.4 ft and rising |
| Sun 9 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor–Fair | 1 mph glassy | 5.4 ft and falling |
| Sun 12 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Poor–Fair, shortboard Poor | 5 mph onshore | 1.5 ft and falling |
| Sun 3 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Poor–Fair, shortboard Poor | 7 mph, gusts 8, onshore | −0.3 ft and rising |
| Sun 6 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor–Fair, dark hours | 4 mph, gusts 7, cross | 2.3 ft and rising |
| Sun 9 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor–Fair, dark hours | 5 mph, gusts 6, offshore | 4.0 ft and falling |
| Mon 12 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor–Fair, dark hours | 4 mph offshore | 2.4 ft and falling |
| Mon 3 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor–Fair | 4 mph offshore | 2.2 ft and rising |
| Mon 6 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Fair | 3 mph offshore | 5.1 ft and rising |
| Mon 9 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair | 1 mph glassy | 5.7 ft and falling |
| Mon 12 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor–Fair | 6 mph onshore | 2.2 ft and falling |
| Mon 3 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor–Fair | 5 mph onshore | −0.4 ft and falling |
| Mon 6 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair, dark hours | 1 mph, gusts 3, glassy | 1.5 ft and rising |
| Mon 9 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair, dark hours | 1 mph, gusts 4, glassy | 3.8 ft and rising |
| Tue 12 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair, dark hours | 1 mph, gusts 2, glassy | 2.8 ft and falling |
| Tue 3 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair | 2 mph glassy | 2.3 ft and rising |
| Tue 6 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair | 2 mph glassy | 4.7 ft and rising |
| Tue 9 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair | 1 mph glassy | 5.8 ft and falling |
| Tue 12 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor–Fair | 5 mph onshore | 2.9 ft and falling |
| Tue 3 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Poor–Fair, shortboard Poor–Fair | 5 mph onshore | −0.1 ft and falling |
| Tue 6 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor–Fair, dark hours | 1 mph, gusts 3, glassy | 0.8 ft and rising |
| Tue 9 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor–Fair, dark hours | 2 mph, gusts 3, glassy | 3.3 ft and rising |
| Wed 12 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor–Fair, dark hours | 1 mph, gusts 3, glassy | 3.1 ft and falling |
| Wed 3 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor–Fair | 2 mph glassy | 2.4 ft and rising |
| Wed 6 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor–Fair | 2 mph glassy | 4.3 ft and rising |
| Wed 9 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor–Fair | 2 mph glassy | 5.7 ft and falling |
| Wed 12 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor–Fair | 5 mph onshore | 3.5 ft and falling |
| Wed 3 PM | Waves unavailable | Longboard Unavailable, shortboard Unavailable | 6 mph, gusts 7, onshore | 0.4 ft and falling |
| Wed 6 PM | Waves unavailable | Longboard Unavailable, shortboard Unavailable, dark hours | 5 mph, gusts 9, onshore | 0.4 ft and rising |
| Wed 9 PM | Waves unavailable | Longboard Unavailable, shortboard Unavailable, dark hours | 0 mph, gusts 5, glassy | 2.7 ft and rising |
Today’s tide
GOOD 5:47–9:50 AM3:30–5:21 PM
San Clemente · feet above low water
Swell
Wave forecast checked against the live Capistrano Beach Nearshore buoy.
Updated 2:03 PM · CDIP/Scripps, Open-Meteo and NOAA.
Common questions
Is Salt Creek good for beginners?
Not really; it suits surfers with some experience.
What tide is best at Salt Creek?
It’s best at mid to high tide (about 2.5–5.5 ft).
What swell works at Salt Creek?
A S to WNW swell (190°–285°) is best, with ENE offshore wind. It picks up swell from S to WNW (175°–295°). Most consistent in spring and summer.
What board should I ride at Salt Creek?
Either works: longboards at 2–4.5 ft, shortboards at 3–8 ft.
What should I watch out for at Salt Creek?
Inside rocks at low tide; weekend crowds fill the cove; Salt Creek drains into the cove, so stay out 72 hours after rain; and rips when it’s big.