Tips on Watching the Big Waves

Check out the wave action video toward the bottom of the page!

Want to increase your chances for catching the thrilling wave action on the coast? Here's some tips:

• Look for beaches with relatively shallow rock formations that jut out into the ocean, along with viewpoints or trails that are off to one side. High cliffs will certainly work, if you can see them from the side. In some cases you can watch the waves standing behind the cliff - a safe distance back.
• The best time is almost always high tide, preferably starting about an hour before. This puts the wave impact near the top of the rocks. Going an hour or two before puts you there when the incoming tide will help reinforce the waves. Also, there might be limited parking at some really active areas!
  NOTE: The tides during the full moon and the "empty moon" phases are higher than normal, and will serve to reinforce the waves. In the case of shallow rock formations, sometimes the tide will be a bit too high, and may result in too little rock surface area being presented for the waves to crash against. During these times, plan to arrive several hours prior to high tide.
• Monitor the weather bureau for things like "Small Craft Advisory" alerts, "Long Period Swell" alerts, or any time the seas are 7 - 8 feet or more. Long period swells are the best, especially when combined with high wave heights. "Long period" means 12 - 15 seconds or more between each wave. The long time between waves allows more water to build up behind each wave, and it gives channels and fissures time to drain between waves. An example marine announcement is "West swell, 14 ft at 17-20 seconds".
• One weather scenario during the summer is when there is high pressure over the general area and a "thermal low" over Northern California or Southern Oregon. This can result in some relatively high winds and decent wave action, even if the seas are "just" 5 - 7 feet.
• When the seas reach 10 feet or more, a great deal of sea foam is generated. Crevises in the rocks will often fill up with this foam - pictures 4 and 5 below show some of this.
• Waves tend to come in, well, waves. That is, There will be periods of relative calm followed by periods of intense action. There are two components to ocean waves: "wind waves" and "swells". When the wind waves coincide with the high point of a swell, the action is at its peak. You can tell when this is happening because there is usually more noise. When the incoming waves start to break over with the sound of a rifle shot, and things start to get LOUD, have your camera ready!
  NOTE: These are also the times to BE CAREFUL! Some beaches have rock formations shallow enough that you can walk out on them. Many of the rock formations are lava-based and are really rugged. Also, LOOK at the area you are standing on. If it is wet, this likely means the bigger waves are covering the area. Look for dry areas to stand on. If there are "rogue wave" warnings, you know the Standing Rule of The Pacific: "Don't turn your back to the ocean!".
• If you plan to take photographs, the best situation is high seas during relatively clear days. Stormy and rainy days can bring big waves but photographs turn out rather grey and washed out.