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Sonoma County · Bodega Bay

Bodega Bay

Faces W · Bay and Ocean Beach · Sonoma County · Exposed Coast · No Year-Round Lifeguard
Current Danger Level
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Buoy Reading — View Buoy ↗
⚠ Data may be stale — showing last known reading. Conditions may have changed.
Swell Height*
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feet
Swell Period
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seconds
Direction
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swell from
Water Temp
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°F
NOAA Buoy 46013 — Bodega Bay
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Long-Period Swell & Set Waves
Read the table above. Any swell period above 15 seconds means danger. Waves travel in sets separated by long, quiet intervals — sometimes as long as 20 minutes of calm. On long period days, stay aware! Do not approach the water's edge during a quiet stretch — that calm is when energy is building offshore.
Known Hazards at Bodega Bay
🦭
Low-Lying Point — Waves Sweep the Land
The rocky shoreline at Bodega Head and the jetty at the harbor entrance are wave-swept on any swell. On long-period swell days, waves surge unpredictably across low rocky outcroppings. Stay off all rocks near the water.
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No Unauthorized Access to Point
The point itself is closed to unguided visitors during elephant seal season. Boundary signs exist for your safety — not just for the seals.
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Rip Currents
Rip currents are not always visible. They can appear as calmer, clearer water with less white water than the surf on either side — which can make them look like a better place to swim. They are not. They are mini rivers where water channels its way back out to sea. If you see a break in the surf line with calmer water, stay out.
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Cold Water — Year Round
Pacific water along this coast runs cold year round. Hypothermia can set in quickly.
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No Year-Round Lifeguard Posted
CA State Parks lifeguards patrol state beaches. There is no year-round posted lifeguard. Emergency response times on remote beaches may take longer than in urban environments.
Before You Go Near the Water
01
Read the swell period before you approach the water. The number in the chart above is your warning. A period of 15+ seconds means sets are arriving with long, quiet intervals between them — sometimes up to 20 minutes of calm. Do not approach the water's edge during a quiet stretch — that calm is when energy is building offshore.
02
Watch the ocean. Stay on dry sand. Do not approach wet sand or the water's edge until you have watched the ocean and learned the rhythm of the sets.
03
Wet rocks or sand mark where the ocean has already been. If the rocks or sand are wet, a wave reached them recently. Stay above the wet line — always.
04
A long wait between waves is a warning. During long period swells, stay vigilant. The ocean may appear completely calm between sets. Do not be fooled. If it has been calm for several minutes, stay back. Do not walk toward the water.
05
Keep dogs on leash. Keep dogs on leash and away from the water's edge.
06
Tell someone your plans. Leave your destination and expected return time with someone before you go.
How to Read Sets

Long-period swell doesn't produce a steady stream of waves. It travels in sets — groups of larger waves separated by long, quiet intervals. At 15+ seconds, those intervals can stretch to 20 minutes of calm. Do not approach the water's edge during a quiet stretch — that calm is when energy is building offshore.

1
Find a high vantage point above the water line. Do not approach the shore first. Watch from above.
2
Time the quiet intervals. Count the seconds — or minutes — between large waves. This is your set interval.
3
Watch for at least 15 minutes. You need to see multiple sets before you understand the rhythm. One quiet stretch means nothing.
4
The largest wave in a set is not always the first. Sets build in size. The final wave is frequently the biggest.
5
When in doubt, stay back. At 15+ seconds period, stay completely clear of the shore and any rocks.

Ocean Emergency

911

CA State Parks Emergency · (800) 952-5580

Sonoma County Sheriff · (707) 565-2121