April 4, 2026 / Grade: C
3:00 PM Update — Grade C
Visibility: 10–13 ft
The 4 ft pilings on the right side of the frame are visible with some structural detail, including encrustation texture and vertical form, though they are somewhat softened by haze rather than crisp. The 11 ft pilings are discernible as darker vertical shapes but lack sharp structural definition — they appear as moderately hazy forms with limited surface detail visible. There is no clearly identifiable third piling tier at 14 ft; only two distinct piling sets can be confidently located, meaning the 14 ft pilings are absent from this view. The water column is a medium-to-pale blue-green tone, indicating moderate turbidity and likely some particulate or plankton content. A loose school of small fish is visible mid-frame, which helps gauge midwater clarity — they are resolvable but not sharply defined, consistent with 10–13 ft of usable visibility. Overall, the scene presents moderate conditions typical of average coastal visibility with mild particulate scatter.
The blue-green hue of the water suggests a mix of oceanic and coastal water with moderate particulate or biological matter in suspension, reducing contrast at distance. Scatter in the mid and far water column is diffuse rather than heavily turbid, pointing to fine suspended particles or mild phytoplankton rather than a major runoff or surge event. Conditions appear stable rather than actively deteriorating, consistent with modest swell and relatively calm surface conditions at the time of capture.
Conditions are marginal but diveable for experienced divers comfortable with 10–13 ft visibility — not ideal for photography or navigation-sensitive dives. If visibility is tied to tidal exchange, the incoming period around the next low tide cycle may bring slightly cleaner offshore water, so checking again in the morning could reveal an improvement window.
• Wind: 11.5 mph
• Cloud Cover: 20%
• Water Temp: 67.1°F
• Chlorophyll: None mg/m³ (ERROR)
• Swell: 1.6 ft @ 11.0 sec from NW (289°) — favorable
• Tide: Unknown → next L at 05:17 (-0.22 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 structural detail, including surface texture and the kelp growth along them, indicating reasonable near-field clarity. The 11 ft pilings are discernible but noticeably hazy, with structure softened by particulate scatter — they are present but lack crisp definition. The 14 ft piling set cannot be confidently identified as a distinct third tier; what appears beyond the 11 ft pilings dissolves into the blue-green murk without clear piling structure, meaning only two tiers are reliably confirmed. The water has a characteristic blue-green to teal hue with moderate turbidity, suggesting suspended particulates or mild plankton presence. Scattered small fish (likely juvenile or baitfish) are visible mid-water, which is consistent with moderate visibility conditions. Overall clarity is moderate at best, with significant light scattering limiting depth penetration.
The greenish-teal tint and moderate haze are consistent with suspended particulates or mild biological turbidity, possibly from plankton or fine sediment in the water column. A rising tide can stir and redistribute nearshore particulates, which may be contributing to the reduced clarity observed here. The conditions do not appear to reflect a major swell or surge event, but background turbidity is limiting horizontal visibility to the mid-range.
Conditions are marginal — acceptable for experienced divers comfortable with 10–13 ft visibility, but not ideal for photography or casual recreation. Visibility may not improve significantly until the tide peaks and begins to ebb later tonight, so early morning the following day on an outgoing tide could offer a better window.
• Wind: 9.2 mph
• Cloud Cover: 0%
• Water Temp: 68.7°F
• Chlorophyll: 0.37 mg/m³ (GREEN)
• Swell: 2.0 ft @ 11.0 sec from NW (288°) — favorable
• Tide: Rising → next H at 22:49 (5.102 ft)
• Community Report: No report
Visibility is currently around 10–13 ft, based on the latest Scripps Pier camera image.
The 4 ft pilings (nearest set) are visible on both the left and right sides of the frame with some surface texture discernible, but they appear somewhat soft rather than crisp and sharp, suggesting moderate haze even at close range. The 11 ft pilings (mid-range set) are detectable as darker columnar shapes in the mid-frame but lack clear structural definition — they read as hazy, indistinct forms rather than clearly defined structures. No convincing third piling set at 14 ft can be independently identified beyond the mid-range pilings; what lies beyond dissolves into a bright teal-blue scatter without a discernible third tier of structure. The water color is a characteristic mid-range teal-blue with noticeable particulate scatter, consistent with moderate visibility rather than the deep clear blue of Grade A conditions. A school of small fish is visible near the right-side pilings, and light rays penetrate from above, indicating daytime shallow-water conditions but also confirming significant particulate suspension that limits horizontal sight lines. Because only two piling tiers can be confidently identified and the 14 ft set is absent as a distinct third group, the grade cannot exceed C per the absolute rule.
The teal-blue color with visible light scatter suggests moderate particulate suspension, likely a combination of fine sediment and biological material such as phytoplankton or zooplankton in the water column. The haze appears relatively uniform throughout the frame rather than concentrated near the bottom, pointing more toward suspended biological material or distant swell-stirred particulates than recent bottom disturbance. Conditions appear stable rather than actively deteriorating, which is consistent with calm surface conditions and the light-scattering pattern visible in the image.
Conditions are marginal at best for diving right now — visibility in the 10–13 ft range limits the experience significantly for photography or exploration beyond the immediate piling area. The falling tide toward an afternoon low may help clear some particulate load over the next few hours, so a dive later this afternoon after the low tide could offer slightly improved conditions, though improvement is not guaranteed.
Current Conditions
• Wind: 1.0 mph
• Cloud Cover: 20%
• Water Temp: 65.3°F
• Chlorophyll: 0.37 mg/m³ (GREEN)
• Swell: 1.6 ft @ 12.0 sec from NW (289°) — favorable
• Tide: Falling → next L at 16:30 (1.444 ft)
• Community Report: No report
Dive Grade: C
🎥 Live Camera: https://coollab.ucsd.edu/pierviz/
