CALIFORNIA / Cardiff / SolanaSPOT / 021

Cardiff Reef.

The reef is the reference.

Right-dominant33.015° N / 117.285° W

Color satellite and aerial imagery centered on the approximate Cardiff Reef catalogue location — Satellite / aerial view · centred on the approximate catalogue pin. Not live imagery.
Powered by Esri · Esri, Vantor, Earthstar Geographics, and the GIS User Community.

Approximate catalogue pin · check the actual shoreline. © OpenStreetMap contributors

Open Cardiff Reef on the map ↗Best surf near me

Forecast & tide at a glance

Estimated surf face · feet · Pacific time. The existing PureSurfers face-estimation engine; not a measured or calibrated breaking-wave report.

Estimated surf face3.2 ftOlder cached forecast Thu Oct 22, 12:00pm Pacific

Coastal wind6.5 mphWSW from · older cache

NOAA tide reference1.9 ftMLLW · La Jolla

READ THE INDIVIDUAL SWELLS

Swell by swell.

Offshore component height (Hs), not surf-face height. Directions are where waves come from. Component heights do not add together.

Thu Oct 22, 12:00pm Pacific

MFWAM · 2 components

Primary swell

2.1ft Hs

SSW from · 197° · 10.1 s

2.1 feet

Wind sea

0.2ft Hs

W from · 281° · 0.9 s

0.2 feet

GFS · all-zero feed unconfirmed

This model reports only zeros across its cached partition forecast while another model reports swell. This is not confirmation of flat surf. Check the other source or try refreshing later.

Each model supplies its own partitions. Missing components remain unavailable; another model’s primary swell is not automatically the same wave system.

Coastal wind retrieved Thu Oct 22, 11:15am · older cache. This is regional modeled wind, not a beach measurement.

Source retrievals: GFS Oct 22, 10:10am (older cache) · ECMWF Oct 22, 10:10am (older cache) · MFWAM Oct 22, 10:10am (older cache). Retrieval time is not the model issue time. This page combines all available cached model families; map model selections are separate.

Tide predictions: La Jolla, 17 km reference; retrieved Thu Oct 22, 7:30am. Station predictions can differ locally.

Seven-day overview

06:00–19:00 forecast hours; daily values are not a full-day maximum.
Pacific day	Estimated surf face	Mean wind	Hours available
Thu Oct 22	3.3 ft	7.7 mph	14/14
Fri Oct 23	2.9 ft	4.8 mph	14/14
Sat Oct 24	2.4 ft	5.6 mph	14/14
Sun Oct 25	2.2 ft	5.4 mph	14/14
Mon Oct 26	1.9 ft	5.5 mph	14/14
Tue Oct 27	1.9 ft	4.5 mph	14/14
Wed Oct 28	2.1 ft	5.2 mph	14/14

Hourly details · next 72 hours

Pacific time	Estimated surf face	Model range	Set proxy	Swell from	Wind	Tide MLLW	Models
Thu 12:00pm	3.2 ft	2.8–3.7 ft	4.9 ft	SW · 10.4 s	6.5 mph WSW	1.9 ft	2
Thu 1:00pm	3.2 ft	2.8–3.7 ft	4.9 ft	SW · 10.4 s	9.1 mph WSW	1.4 ft	2
Thu 2:00pm	3.2 ft	2.8–3.7 ft	4.8 ft	SW · 10.4 s	9.7 mph WSW	1.4 ft	2
Thu 3:00pm	3.2 ft	2.8–3.7 ft	4.8 ft	SW · 10.4 s	11.7 mph W	1.8 ft	2
Thu 4:00pm	3.2 ft	2.8–3.6 ft	4.8 ft	SW · 10.3 s	11.8 mph W	2.6 ft	2
Thu 5:00pm	3.2 ft	2.8–3.6 ft	4.8 ft	SW · 10.3 s	11.3 mph WNW	3.4 ft	2
Thu 6:00pm	3.2 ft	2.8–3.6 ft	4.8 ft	SW · 10.2 s	10.5 mph WNW	4.2 ft	2
Thu 7:00pm	3.2 ft	2.8–3.6 ft	4.8 ft	SW · 10.0 s	11.3 mph WNW	4.6 ft	2
Thu 8:00pm	3.1 ft	2.8–3.5 ft	4.7 ft	SW · 9.9 s	9.7 mph WNW	4.6 ft	2
Thu 9:00pm	3.1 ft	2.8–3.5 ft	4.7 ft	SW · 9.9 s	8.5 mph W	4.1 ft	2
Thu 10:00pm	3.1 ft	2.8–3.4 ft	4.7 ft	SW · 9.9 s	8.7 mph WNW	3.2 ft	2
Thu 11:00pm	3.1 ft	2.8–3.4 ft	4.7 ft	SW · 9.9 s	6.8 mph W	2.2 ft	2
Fri 12:00am	3.1 ft	2.8–3.4 ft	4.7 ft	SW · 10.1 s	8.1 mph WNW	1.3 ft	2
Fri 1:00am	3.1 ft	2.7–3.4 ft	4.6 ft	SW · 10.3 s	5.7 mph WNW	0.8 ft	2
Fri 2:00am	3.1 ft	2.7–3.4 ft	4.6 ft	SW · 10.5 s	1.9 mph NW	0.7 ft	2
Fri 3:00am	3.1 ft	2.7–3.4 ft	4.6 ft	SW · 10.7 s	9.2 mph W	1.2 ft	2
Fri 4:00am	3.0 ft	2.7–3.4 ft	4.5 ft	SW · 10.9 s	2.4 mph E	2.1 ft	2
Fri 5:00am	3.0 ft	2.7–3.4 ft	4.5 ft	SW · 11.0 s	5.0 mph ESE	3.3 ft	2
Fri 6:00am	3.0 ft	2.7–3.4 ft	4.5 ft	SW · 11.1 s	6.2 mph SE	4.3 ft	2
Fri 7:00am	3.0 ft	2.6–3.4 ft	4.5 ft	SW · 11.2 s	3.0 mph SSE	5.0 ft	2
Fri 8:00am	3.0 ft	2.6–3.4 ft	4.5 ft	SW · 11.2 s	9.1 mph E	5.3 ft	2
Fri 9:00am	3.0 ft	2.6–3.4 ft	4.5 ft	SW · 11.3 s	6.2 mph E	4.9 ft	2
Fri 10:00am	3.0 ft	2.6–3.4 ft	4.5 ft	SW · 11.3 s	6.3 mph ESE	4.1 ft	2
Fri 11:00am	3.0 ft	2.6–3.4 ft	4.5 ft	SW · 11.3 s	4.6 mph SE	3.0 ft	2
Fri 12:00pm	3.0 ft	2.6–3.4 ft	4.5 ft	SW · 11.2 s	3.4 mph SSE	1.9 ft	2
Fri 1:00pm	3.0 ft	2.6–3.4 ft	4.5 ft	SW · 11.0 s	2.4 mph SE	1.1 ft	2
Fri 2:00pm	3.0 ft	2.6–3.3 ft	4.4 ft	SW · 10.8 s	3.2 mph SW	0.7 ft	2
Fri 3:00pm	2.9 ft	2.6–3.2 ft	4.4 ft	SW · 10.4 s	5.4 mph WSW	0.9 ft	2
Fri 4:00pm	2.8 ft	2.6–3.1 ft	4.2 ft	WSW · 9.8 s	4.3 mph WSW	1.6 ft	2
Fri 5:00pm	2.7 ft	2.6–2.8 ft	4.1 ft	WSW · 9.4 s	4.1 mph W	2.6 ft	2
Fri 6:00pm	2.7 ft	2.6–2.8 ft	4.0 ft	WSW · 9.2 s	4.0 mph NW	3.6 ft	2
Fri 7:00pm	2.7 ft	2.5–2.9 ft	4.0 ft	WSW · 9.0 s	4.3 mph NW	4.3 ft	2
Fri 8:00pm	2.7 ft	2.4–2.9 ft	4.0 ft	WSW · 9.0 s	4.9 mph NNW	4.7 ft	2
Fri 9:00pm	2.7 ft	2.4–2.9 ft	4.0 ft	WSW · 9.0 s	4.3 mph NE	4.5 ft	2
Fri 10:00pm	2.6 ft	2.3–2.9 ft	3.9 ft	WSW · 9.1 s	4.2 mph ENE	3.8 ft	2
Fri 11:00pm	2.6 ft	2.2–3.0 ft	3.9 ft	WSW · 9.2 s	4.1 mph NE	2.9 ft	2
Sat 12:00am	2.6 ft	2.2–2.9 ft	3.8 ft	WSW · 9.3 s	4.2 mph ENE	1.9 ft	2
Sat 1:00am	2.6 ft	2.2–2.9 ft	3.8 ft	WSW · 9.4 s	2.9 mph NE	1.1 ft	2
Sat 2:00am	2.6 ft	2.2–2.9 ft	3.8 ft	WSW · 9.6 s	2.2 mph NE	0.8 ft	2
Sat 3:00am	2.6 ft	2.2–2.9 ft	3.8 ft	WSW · 9.7 s	2.6 mph NE	1.1 ft	2
Sat 4:00am	2.6 ft	2.2–2.9 ft	3.8 ft	WSW · 9.8 s	3.6 mph E	1.9 ft	2
Sat 5:00am	2.6 ft	2.2–2.9 ft	3.8 ft	WSW · 9.9 s	3.0 mph E	3.0 ft	2
Sat 6:00am	2.5 ft	2.2–2.9 ft	3.8 ft	WSW · 9.9 s	2.8 mph NE	4.3 ft	2
Sat 7:00am	2.5 ft	2.2–2.8 ft	3.8 ft	WSW · 10.0 s	2.5 mph ENE	5.2 ft	2
Sat 8:00am	2.5 ft	2.2–2.8 ft	3.8 ft	WSW · 10.1 s	2.0 mph E	5.7 ft	2
Sat 9:00am	2.5 ft	2.1–2.8 ft	3.7 ft	WSW · 10.2 s	1.3 mph NE	5.6 ft	2
Sat 10:00am	2.5 ft	2.2–2.8 ft	3.7 ft	WSW · 10.2 s	2.6 mph NW	4.8 ft	2
Sat 11:00am	2.4 ft	2.1–2.7 ft	3.6 ft	WSW · 10.3 s	4.9 mph NW	3.6 ft	2
Sat 12:00pm	2.4 ft	2.1–2.7 ft	3.6 ft	WSW · 10.4 s	6.2 mph NW	2.3 ft	2
Sat 1:00pm	2.4 ft	2.1–2.6 ft	3.5 ft	WSW · 10.5 s	8.0 mph WNW	1.1 ft	2
Sat 2:00pm	2.3 ft	2.1–2.6 ft	3.5 ft	WSW · 10.6 s	9.4 mph WNW	0.3 ft	2
Sat 3:00pm	2.3 ft	2.0–2.6 ft	3.5 ft	WSW · 10.7 s	9.1 mph WNW	0.1 ft	2
Sat 4:00pm	2.3 ft	2.0–2.5 ft	3.4 ft	WSW · 10.7 s	8.4 mph WNW	0.6 ft	2
Sat 5:00pm	2.2 ft	1.9–2.6 ft	3.4 ft	WSW · 10.7 s	8.2 mph WNW	1.5 ft	2
Sat 6:00pm	2.2 ft	1.9–2.6 ft	3.3 ft	WSW · 10.7 s	7.1 mph NW	2.6 ft	2
Sat 7:00pm	2.2 ft	1.9–2.6 ft	3.3 ft	WSW · 10.7 s	6.5 mph NW	3.7 ft	2
Sat 8:00pm	2.2 ft	1.9–2.6 ft	3.4 ft	WSW · 10.8 s	6.1 mph NW	4.4 ft	2
Sat 9:00pm	2.2 ft	1.9–2.5 ft	3.4 ft	WSW · 10.8 s	5.1 mph NW	4.6 ft	2
Sat 10:00pm	2.3 ft	1.9–2.6 ft	3.4 ft	WSW · 10.8 s	4.3 mph NW	4.3 ft	2
Sat 11:00pm	2.3 ft	2.0–2.5 ft	3.4 ft	WSW · 10.9 s	3.8 mph NW	3.5 ft	2
Sun 12:00am	2.3 ft	2.0–2.5 ft	3.4 ft	WSW · 10.9 s	3.0 mph NNW	2.5 ft	2
Sun 1:00am	2.3 ft	2.0–2.5 ft	3.4 ft	WSW · 10.9 s	2.5 mph N	1.6 ft	2
Sun 2:00am	2.3 ft	2.0–2.5 ft	3.4 ft	SW · 10.9 s	2.3 mph NNE	1.1 ft	2
Sun 3:00am	2.3 ft	2.0–2.5 ft	3.4 ft	SW · 11.0 s	2.2 mph NE	1.1 ft	2
Sun 4:00am	2.3 ft	2.0–2.6 ft	3.5 ft	SW · 11.0 s	2.6 mph ENE	1.7 ft	2
Sun 5:00am	2.3 ft	2.0–2.6 ft	3.5 ft	SW · 11.0 s	3.0 mph NE	2.8 ft	2
Sun 6:00am	2.3 ft	2.1–2.6 ft	3.5 ft	SW · 11.1 s	2.6 mph ENE	4.0 ft	2
Sun 7:00am	2.3 ft	2.0–2.6 ft	3.5 ft	SW · 11.1 s	1.1 mph NE	5.2 ft	2
Sun 8:00am	2.3 ft	2.0–2.6 ft	3.5 ft	SW · 11.2 s	1.3 mph NNW	6.0 ft	2
Sun 9:00am	2.3 ft	2.0–2.5 ft	3.4 ft	SW · 11.2 s	2.2 mph NW	6.1 ft	2
Sun 10:00am	2.3 ft	2.0–2.6 ft	3.4 ft	SW · 11.3 s	3.3 mph NNW	5.6 ft	2
Sun 11:00am	2.2 ft	2.0–2.5 ft	3.4 ft	SW · 11.4 s	4.3 mph NW	4.4 ft	2
Sun 12:00pm	2.2 ft	2.0–2.5 ft	3.4 ft	SW · 11.4 s	6.4 mph WNW	3.0 ft	2

Model spread is not a confidence interval. Tide and wind are context, not new corrections to surf size. Larger sets and changing hazards remain possible.

This page reads the shared cache first. Refresh requests only this spot’s existing regional samples.

Know the spot

The classic cobbly Cardiff reef.

Break type: Reef / point
Wave direction: Right-dominant
Reported difficulty: Beginner–intermediate
Bottom: Rock / reef
Reported swell preference: S–W
Reported tide preference: Low–mid

A friendly but iconic right zone with useful shoulders and supporting peaks. Source note: Imported 6.8 catalogue; place and confirm the takeoff.

Before paddling out: Currents, crowding, submerged rock or cobble, water-quality changes after rain, and shifting bars.

Public access Owner-placed takeoff; not a survey

Source references

Provenance is not proof that every inherited claim or current access condition has been rechecked.

THE FIELD GUIDE / Cardiff Reef

Read this stretch of coast.

What defines this setup

Cardiff Reef is catalogued as reef / point, with right-dominant waves over rock / reef. Those details explain why the same offshore height can feel different here than at the next beach. Use the map to orient yourself, then watch how the sets actually meet the bottom and where the ride opens or closes. The catalogue is a starting description, not a surveyed takeoff.

What to compare before you go

The retained swell preference is S–W; the reported tide preference is Low–mid. Start with the component panel: check whether the stronger incoming swell is in that directional window and whether a second system approaches from a different angle. Then compare wind and water level for the same hour. These are planning comparisons, not new corrections applied to the displayed surf-face estimate.

A useful shore check

The reported difficulty is Beginner–intermediate. Look at the interval between sets, the distance a surfer drifts while waiting, the room available to enter and exit, and whether the waves connect through the intended section. Catalogue hazards include Currents, crowding, submerged rock or cobble, water-quality changes after rain, and shifting bars. If the session you see differs from the forecast, record that difference with the time and setup; it is information for the next visit, not a reason to force today’s session.

A useful note for next time

Record the section you actually surfed, the time, incoming swell direction and period, wind and tide trend. Add what the wave did: connected sections, closeouts, drift or exposed obstacles. Comparing that observation with the same model next time is more useful than treating one colored number as the whole session.

Camera references nearby

Del Mar coastal overlook ↗

HDOnTap · about 5.9 km from the catalogue pin · video-page

Elevated coastal and beach panorama.

Del Mar · 17th Street ↗

City of Del Mar / HDOnTap · about 6.1 km from the catalogue pin · video-page

City beach-camera collection at 17th Street with multiple viewing directions.

Links to third-party camera pages, not owned feeds. Proximity does not confirm the camera sees this break. Playback and image freshness have not been verified by this page.

Make the next session easier

Lineup etiquette · Paddling technique · How these forecasts work

Nearby spots to compare

PureSurfers is built by Peter Ochabski. Spot profiles combine retained sources and contributor observations; this is not a claim he has surfed or verified every entry.

COASTAL WAVE GUIDANCE

Waves at the model cells

Awaiting shared model data

Significant wave height (Hs) before the legacy spot reduction. This is not a measured breaking-face or set range.

Nearshore and buoy trends load here. Coverage and observation times are shown separately.