CALIFORNIA / Dana PointSPOT / 123

Doheny First Point.

Take the long view.

Right-dominant33.460° N / 117.689° W

Color satellite and aerial imagery centered on the approximate Doheny First Point 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 Doheny First Point 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 face2.3 ftOlder cached forecast Wed Nov 11, 2:00pm Pacific

Coastal wind7.9 mphW from · older cache

NOAA tide reference1.5 ftMLLW · Los Angeles

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.

Wed Nov 11, 2:00pm Pacific

MFWAM · 2 components

Primary swell

2.3ft Hs

W from · 276° · 9.6 s

2.3 feet

Wind sea

0.1ft Hs

W from · 271° · 1.2 s

0.1 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 Wed Nov 11, 10:39am · older cache. This is regional modeled wind, not a beach measurement.

Source retrievals: GFS Nov 11, 1:30pm (older cache) · ECMWF Nov 11, 2:00pm · MFWAM Nov 11, 2:00pm. Retrieval time is not the model issue time. This page combines all available cached model families; map model selections are separate.

Tide predictions: Los Angeles, 61 km reference; retrieved Wed Nov 11, 2:00pm. 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
Wed Nov 11	2.3 ft	5.8 mph	14/14
Thu Nov 12	2.5 ft	6.9 mph	14/14
Fri Nov 13	2.9 ft	6.5 mph	14/14
Sat Nov 14	3.7 ft	5.4 mph	14/14
Sun Nov 15	3.2 ft	4.2 mph	14/14
Mon Nov 16	2.9 ft	5.1 mph	14/14
Tue Nov 17	2.3 ft	8.6 mph	14/14

Hourly details · next 72 hours

Pacific time	Estimated surf face	Model range	Set proxy	Swell from	Wind	Tide MLLW	Models
Wed 2:00pm	2.3 ft	2.3–2.3 ft	3.4 ft	WSW · 13.0 s	7.9 mph W	1.5 ft	2
Wed 3:00pm	2.3 ft	2.3–2.3 ft	3.4 ft	WSW · 13.0 s	7.5 mph W	0.5 ft	2
Wed 4:00pm	2.3 ft	2.3–2.3 ft	3.5 ft	WSW · 13.0 s	7.3 mph WNW	-0.1 ft	2
Wed 5:00pm	2.3 ft	2.3–2.4 ft	3.5 ft	WSW · 13.0 s	5.7 mph NW	-0.1 ft	2
Wed 6:00pm	2.3 ft	2.3–2.4 ft	3.5 ft	WSW · 13.0 s	5.7 mph NNW	0.3 ft	2
Wed 7:00pm	2.4 ft	2.3–2.4 ft	3.5 ft	WSW · 13.0 s	5.6 mph NNW	1.0 ft	2
Wed 8:00pm	2.4 ft	2.3–2.5 ft	3.6 ft	WSW · 12.9 s	3.4 mph NNW	1.8 ft	2
Wed 9:00pm	2.4 ft	2.3–2.5 ft	3.6 ft	WSW · 12.8 s	2.3 mph N	2.6 ft	2
Wed 10:00pm	2.4 ft	2.3–2.5 ft	3.6 ft	SW · 12.8 s	2.9 mph NE	3.2 ft	2
Wed 11:00pm	2.4 ft	2.3–2.6 ft	3.6 ft	SW · 12.8 s	2.5 mph NNE	3.4 ft	2
Thu 12:00am	2.4 ft	2.3–2.5 ft	3.6 ft	SW · 12.8 s	2.0 mph NNE	3.4 ft	2
Thu 1:00am	2.4 ft	2.3–2.5 ft	3.6 ft	SW · 12.8 s	3.6 mph NE	3.2 ft	2
Thu 2:00am	2.4 ft	2.3–2.6 ft	3.6 ft	SW · 12.8 s	5.7 mph NNE	3.0 ft	2
Thu 3:00am	2.4 ft	2.3–2.6 ft	3.6 ft	SW · 12.8 s	5.7 mph NNE	2.8 ft	2
Thu 4:00am	2.4 ft	2.3–2.6 ft	3.6 ft	SW · 12.9 s	6.0 mph NNE	2.9 ft	2
Thu 5:00am	2.5 ft	2.3–2.6 ft	3.7 ft	SW · 12.9 s	5.9 mph NNE	3.3 ft	2
Thu 6:00am	2.4 ft	2.3–2.6 ft	3.6 ft	SW · 13.0 s	5.4 mph NNE	3.9 ft	2
Thu 7:00am	2.5 ft	2.3–2.6 ft	3.7 ft	SW · 13.0 s	5.0 mph NNE	4.6 ft	2
Thu 8:00am	2.5 ft	2.3–2.6 ft	3.7 ft	SW · 13.1 s	7.3 mph NNE	5.2 ft	2
Thu 9:00am	2.5 ft	2.3–2.6 ft	3.7 ft	SW · 13.1 s	5.4 mph NE	5.6 ft	2
Thu 10:00am	2.5 ft	2.3–2.7 ft	3.7 ft	SW · 13.1 s	4.2 mph S	5.7 ft	2
Thu 11:00am	2.5 ft	2.3–2.7 ft	3.7 ft	SW · 13.2 s	7.3 mph SSW	5.3 ft	2
Thu 12:00pm	2.5 ft	2.3–2.7 ft	3.8 ft	SW · 13.2 s	7.6 mph SW	4.5 ft	2
Thu 1:00pm	2.5 ft	2.4–2.7 ft	3.8 ft	SW · 13.3 s	7.8 mph SW	3.5 ft	2
Thu 2:00pm	2.5 ft	2.4–2.7 ft	3.8 ft	SW · 13.3 s	8.0 mph SW	2.3 ft	2
Thu 3:00pm	2.6 ft	2.4–2.7 ft	3.8 ft	SW · 13.3 s	7.7 mph SW	1.3 ft	2
Thu 4:00pm	2.6 ft	2.4–2.7 ft	3.8 ft	SW · 13.4 s	6.6 mph SSW	0.5 ft	2
Thu 5:00pm	2.6 ft	2.4–2.8 ft	3.9 ft	SW · 13.4 s	6.8 mph SSW	0.1 ft	2
Thu 6:00pm	2.6 ft	2.4–2.8 ft	3.9 ft	SW · 13.4 s	8.2 mph S	0.2 ft	2
Thu 7:00pm	2.7 ft	2.5–2.8 ft	4.0 ft	SW · 13.4 s	8.8 mph S	0.6 ft	2
Thu 8:00pm	2.7 ft	2.5–2.9 ft	4.0 ft	SW · 13.5 s	7.2 mph S	1.3 ft	2
Thu 9:00pm	2.7 ft	2.5–2.9 ft	4.0 ft	SW · 13.6 s	7.6 mph S	2.0 ft	2
Thu 10:00pm	2.7 ft	2.5–2.9 ft	4.1 ft	SW · 13.7 s	8.1 mph SSW	2.6 ft	2
Thu 11:00pm	2.8 ft	2.5–3.0 ft	4.1 ft	SW · 13.8 s	5.1 mph SSE	3.1 ft	2
Fri 12:00am	2.8 ft	2.6–2.9 ft	4.2 ft	SW · 13.8 s	6.3 mph E	3.3 ft	2
Fri 1:00am	2.8 ft	2.6–3.0 ft	4.2 ft	SW · 13.9 s	7.9 mph ESE	3.3 ft	2
Fri 2:00am	2.8 ft	2.7–2.9 ft	4.2 ft	SW · 13.9 s	7.3 mph SSE	3.2 ft	2
Fri 3:00am	2.8 ft	2.7–2.9 ft	4.2 ft	SW · 13.9 s	8.9 mph SE	3.1 ft	2
Fri 4:00am	2.8 ft	2.8–2.9 ft	4.3 ft	WSW · 13.9 s	5.9 mph SE	3.1 ft	2
Fri 5:00am	2.9 ft	2.9–2.9 ft	4.3 ft	WSW · 13.8 s	2.8 mph ESE	3.3 ft	2
Fri 6:00am	2.9 ft	2.9–2.9 ft	4.4 ft	WSW · 13.8 s	5.0 mph ESE	3.7 ft	2
Fri 7:00am	2.9 ft	2.9–2.9 ft	4.4 ft	W · 13.4 s	4.2 mph SE	4.2 ft	2
Fri 8:00am	2.9 ft	2.9–3.0 ft	4.4 ft	W · 13.3 s	6.5 mph SSE	4.7 ft	2
Fri 9:00am	2.9 ft	2.9–3.0 ft	4.4 ft	W · 13.2 s	7.2 mph S	5.2 ft	2
Fri 10:00am	2.9 ft	2.8–3.0 ft	4.4 ft	W · 13.1 s	6.4 mph SSW	5.4 ft	2
Fri 11:00am	2.9 ft	2.8–3.0 ft	4.4 ft	W · 13.0 s	6.2 mph SW	5.2 ft	2
Fri 12:00pm	2.9 ft	2.9–3.0 ft	4.4 ft	W · 12.9 s	6.5 mph SW	4.8 ft	2
Fri 1:00pm	2.9 ft	2.8–3.0 ft	4.3 ft	W · 12.8 s	8.5 mph SW	4.0 ft	2
Fri 2:00pm	2.9 ft	2.9–2.9 ft	4.4 ft	W · 12.6 s	10.1 mph SW	3.1 ft	2
Fri 3:00pm	2.9 ft	2.8–3.0 ft	4.3 ft	W · 12.4 s	8.5 mph SW	2.1 ft	2
Fri 4:00pm	2.9 ft	2.8–3.0 ft	4.3 ft	W · 12.2 s	6.2 mph SW	1.2 ft	2
Fri 5:00pm	2.9 ft	2.8–3.0 ft	4.3 ft	W · 12.0 s	5.4 mph SW	0.6 ft	2
Fri 6:00pm	3.0 ft	2.8–3.1 ft	4.5 ft	W · 11.8 s	4.7 mph SW	0.4 ft	2
Fri 7:00pm	3.0 ft	2.8–3.1 ft	4.5 ft	W · 11.6 s	5.2 mph WSW	0.5 ft	2
Fri 8:00pm	3.0 ft	2.9–3.2 ft	4.5 ft	W · 11.5 s	4.2 mph SW	0.9 ft	2
Fri 9:00pm	3.1 ft	2.9–3.2 ft	4.6 ft	W · 11.6 s	3.8 mph WSW	1.4 ft	2
Fri 10:00pm	3.1 ft	3.0–3.3 ft	4.7 ft	W · 11.5 s	3.2 mph SW	2.1 ft	2
Fri 11:00pm	3.2 ft	3.1–3.4 ft	4.9 ft	W · 11.2 s	3.5 mph SSW	2.6 ft	2
Sat 12:00am	3.4 ft	3.3–3.5 ft	5.1 ft	WSW · 10.7 s	3.0 mph SW	3.0 ft	2
Sat 1:00am	3.5 ft	3.4–3.6 ft	5.3 ft	WSW · 10.4 s	3.2 mph SW	3.2 ft	2
Sat 2:00am	3.5 ft	3.4–3.7 ft	5.3 ft	WSW · 10.1 s	3.4 mph W	3.3 ft	2
Sat 3:00am	3.5 ft	3.3–3.7 ft	5.3 ft	W · 9.9 s	5.8 mph WNW	3.3 ft	2
Sat 4:00am	3.6 ft	3.5–3.8 ft	5.4 ft	W · 9.9 s	8.4 mph W	3.3 ft	2
Sat 5:00am	3.6 ft	3.6–3.7 ft	5.5 ft	W · 10.0 s	7.0 mph WNW	3.3 ft	2
Sat 6:00am	3.6 ft	3.6–3.6 ft	5.4 ft	W · 10.3 s	4.7 mph W	3.5 ft	2
Sat 7:00am	3.6 ft	3.6–3.6 ft	5.4 ft	W · 10.6 s	4.7 mph W	3.9 ft	2
Sat 8:00am	3.6 ft	3.6–3.6 ft	5.4 ft	W · 11.0 s	6.1 mph W	4.3 ft	2
Sat 9:00am	3.6 ft	3.6–3.7 ft	5.5 ft	W · 11.3 s	5.0 mph WSW	4.6 ft	2
Sat 10:00am	3.6 ft	3.6–3.7 ft	5.4 ft	W · 11.7 s	6.5 mph SW	4.9 ft	2
Sat 11:00am	3.6 ft	3.6–3.6 ft	5.5 ft	W · 11.2 s	7.1 mph SW	5.0 ft	2
Sat 12:00pm	3.7 ft	3.7–3.7 ft	5.6 ft	W · 12.4 s	7.2 mph SSW	4.8 ft	2
Sat 1:00pm	3.7 ft	3.7–3.7 ft	5.6 ft	W · 11.9 s	7.1 mph SSW	4.4 ft	2
Sat 2:00pm	3.7 ft	3.7–3.7 ft	5.6 ft	W · 12.2 s	7.2 mph SSW	3.7 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

First Point is the catalogue’s softer, right-dominant Doheny reference, with cobble, sand and small reef in the description and a strong longboard identity.

Also known as First Point.

Break type: Point / cobble
Wave direction: Right-dominant
Reported difficulty: Beginner–intermediate
Bottom: Cobble, sand & small reef
Reported swell preference: S–W
Reported tide preference: All tides

One of the friendlier longboard waves on this map. The main line is right-dominant, but nearby sections and reform corners can produce lefts.

Before paddling out: Crowds, learners, collision risk and weak but persistent sweep.

Public access Reference-corrected coastal area; approximate takeoff, not surveyed

Source references

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

THE FIELD GUIDE / Doheny First Point

Read this stretch of coast.

Watch the entire line

Before choosing a takeoff, watch where several rides begin and end. A soft-looking wave can carry a board through a busy inside for a long way. Keep the route back out separate from the line people are riding, and leave space for surfers who are still learning to turn or stop.

Separate First Point from the rivermouth

The adjacent rivermouth has its own entry because its shape and ride length can differ. Use the two pages to keep observations specific. Shared regional swell data is useful context, but it does not make the two takeoffs interchangeable or prove that a particular reform is working.

Soft surf still needs a tide check

The catalogue’s “all tides” description is broad. Watch whether the wave is connecting, fading or exposing obstacles at the water level you find. Note tide trend alongside swell period in your session notes. Follow current State Parks beach notices and the instructions on site before paddling out.

Further reading: California State Parks · Doheny

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

Dana Point Harbor overlook ↗

HDOnTap / Laguna Cliffs · about 0.1 km from the catalogue pin · video-page

Harbor and ocean panorama from Laguna Cliffs.

Salt Creek ↗

The Surfers View · about 3.5 km from the catalogue pin · video-page

Publicly listed Salt Creek beach and surf camera.

Monarch Bay Beach Club ↗

HDOnTap / Monarch Bay Beach Club · about 4.8 km from the catalogue pin · video-page

Resort-hosted Monarch Bay beach and ocean view.

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

3.02–3.74 ft

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.