April 17, 2026 / Grade: C
3:00 PM Update — Grade C
Visibility: 10–13 ft
The 4 ft pilings (right side of frame) are visible with some surface detail but appear moderately soft with a hazy blue-green cast rather than crisp definition. The 11 ft pilings are discernible as structural forms but lack sharp detail — edges are diffuse and contrast is reduced, consistent with moderate turbidity. The 14 ft piling set cannot be independently confirmed as a distinct third tier; no clearly separate structure is visible beyond what appears to be the mid-range pilings, meaning only two tiers are reliably identified. The water has a blue-green tint with suspended particulates visible as a milky haze throughout the water column. The diver at mid-frame is reasonably visible but surrounded by a noticeable veil of scattering light. Overall clarity is moderate at best, with visibility falling squarely in the C range. Per the counting rule, the absence of a confirmed third piling tier prevents any grade above C.
The blue-green coloration and diffuse light scattering suggest a moderate level of suspended particulates, likely a combination of fine sediment and possibly light plankton presence. The milky haze visible around the diver and background pilings indicates mid-column turbidity rather than a near-bottom silty layer alone. Conditions appear typical of moderate coastal turbidity with no evidence of exceptional clarity or severe degradation.
Conditions are marginal but diveable for experienced divers comfortable with 10–13 ft visibility — recreational sightseeing will be limited. An overnight low tide in the early morning hours may flush some turbidity, potentially offering slightly improved clarity by morning if winds remain moderate.
• Wind: 11.5 mph
• Cloud Cover: 0%
• Water Temp: 66.7°F
• Chlorophyll: 0.37 mg/m³ (GREEN)
• Swell: 2.3 ft @ 10.0 sec from NW (288°) — favorable
• Tide: Unknown → next L at 03:46 (-0.879 ft)
• Community Report: No report
12:00 PM Update — Grade C
Visibility: 10–13 ft
The 4 ft pilings on the right side of the frame are visible with some surface detail discernible, including what appears to be encrusting organisms, though they are not razor-sharp. The 11 ft pilings are present but appear as moderately hazy, softened structures with reduced contrast and limited surface detail — structure is still discernible but clearly degraded by turbidity. The 14 ft pilings cannot be confidently identified as a third distinct tier; there is a large shadowy mass in the mid-to-upper right that could be a piling set, but it lacks distinguishable structural detail and reads more as an indistinct silhouette than a clearly defined piling cluster. The water is a medium-to-deep blue with a slight greenish tint, suggesting moderate particulate matter or plankton in suspension. Because a third distinct piling tier cannot be confirmed with confidence, the grade cannot exceed C.
The moderate blue-green water color and soft haze throughout the water column suggest mid-level turbidity, likely driven by biological particulates or suspended sediment rather than severe runoff. The rising tide may be stirring the water column and reducing horizontal visibility, which is consistent with what is observed. There is no extreme green or brown coloration indicating a heavy bloom or significant sediment event, so conditions appear to be in the moderate range.
Current conditions are marginal for diving — visibility is adequate for recreational diving near the pilings but not ideal for photography or detailed observation. Conditions may improve slightly if the tide stabilizes or turns, so checking again closer to or after high tide tonight could be worthwhile if clarity is a priority.
• Wind: 10.4 mph
• Cloud Cover: 0%
• Water Temp: 66.7°F
• Chlorophyll: 0.37 mg/m³ (GREEN)
• Swell: 2.0 ft @ 10.0 sec from NW (287°) — favorable
• Tide: Rising → next H at 21:39 (6.056 ft)
• Community Report: No report
12:00 PM Update — Grade C
Visibility: 10–13 ft
The 4 ft pilings on the right edge of the frame are visible but lack sharp surface detail, appearing somewhat soft with moderate haze reducing contrast. The 11 ft pilings are present as a large silhouette in the mid-right background but lack structural definition — they read as a dark mass rather than a clearly defined concrete piling with discernible surface texture. The 14 ft piling set cannot be independently identified as a third distinct tier beyond the 11 ft pilings; there is no clearly separate third set visible in the water column. The water color is a mid-range blue-green teal, suggesting moderate turbidity with some particulate matter or plankton in suspension. Overall clarity is limited — light penetrates reasonably but scatters significantly before reaching mid-range distances, and the scene has the characteristic flat, diffuse quality of moderate visibility conditions.
The blue-green teal water color suggests a mix of oceanic and nearshore water with moderate suspended particulates, possibly including phytoplankton or fine sediment. The rising tide conditions are consistent with reduced visibility, as tidal flow can resuspend bottom sediment and introduce turbid nearshore water beneath the pier. Light diffusion and haze throughout the image indicate the water column has meaningful turbidity rather than the clear deep blue that characterizes good visibility days.
Conditions are marginal at approximately 10–13 ft visibility — acceptable for experienced divers but not ideal for photography or new divers. The rising tide may continue to suppress visibility through the afternoon; conditions may improve after the tidal cycle peaks and begins ebbing, potentially in the late evening or tomorrow morning on an outgoing tide.
• Wind: 8.8 mph
• Cloud Cover: 0%
• Water Temp: 66.6°F
• Chlorophyll: 0.37 mg/m³ (GREEN)
• Swell: 2.0 ft @ 10.0 sec from NW (285°) — favorable
• Tide: Rising → next H at 21:39 (6.056 ft)
• Community Report: No report
Visibility is currently around 10–13 ft, based on the latest Scripps Pier camera image.
The 4 ft pilings are visible on the right side of the frame with some structural detail discernible, though not razor-sharp, suggesting mild near-field haze. The 11 ft pilings appear as softer, moderately defined structures further into the frame on the right side, with reduced contrast and some loss of surface detail — consistent with moderate turbidity. The 14 ft pilings cannot be independently confirmed as a third distinct tier; only two piling sets can be reliably identified, meaning the 14 ft set is absent or indistinguishable from background haze. The water is a characteristic green-teal color rather than blue, which is a strong indicator of moderate visibility conditions with suspended particulates or phytoplankton. Overall clarity drops off noticeably beyond the mid-range, with the water column becoming increasingly opaque toward the background. Light penetration from above is visible but diffuse, and the greenish cast limits depth of field significantly.
The green-teal water color strongly suggests elevated phytoplankton or suspended organic particulates in the water column, which is common in coastal Southern California during seasonal blooms or post-swell sediment disturbance. The diffuse, murky quality of the mid-to-far field is consistent with biological turbidity rather than heavy sediment, given the relatively moderate overall brightness and the fact that near-field structures are still identifiable. Conditions appear stable but not clean, pointing to a persistent biological haze layer rather than an acute storm-related event.
Conditions are marginal for diving with roughly 10–13 ft of visibility — manageable for experienced divers but not ideal for photography or navigation in the kelp forest. The falling tide toward a low in the mid-afternoon may help flush suspended particles and modestly improve clarity over the next few hours, making a late-afternoon dive a slightly better option if conditions respond to the tidal exchange.
Current Conditions
• Wind: 6.1 mph
• Cloud Cover: 14%
• Water Temp: 66.2°F
• Chlorophyll: None mg/m³ (ERROR)
• Swell: 1.6 ft @ 8.0 sec from NW (287°) — favorable
• Tide: Falling → next L at 15:25 (0.729 ft)
• Community Report: No report
Dive Grade: C
🎥 Live Camera: https://coollab.ucsd.edu/pierviz/
