April 6, 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 but lack sharp surface detail — they appear as large dark structural masses with soft edges rather than crisp, textured concrete. The 11 ft pilings are discernible as mid-distance shapes in the blue-green water but are hazy and lack structural definition, suggesting moderate scattering. The 14 ft pilings cannot be identified as a third distinct set — only two piling tiers are confidently distinguishable, meaning the 14 ft set is absent from view per the counting rule. The water has a characteristic mid-teal blue-green hue with noticeable particulate haze throughout the water column. A small school of fish is faintly visible in the mid-water, indicating some ambient light penetration but also confirming the limited horizontal visibility. Overall clarity is consistent with moderate conditions — not murky or turbid, but definitely not clean blue-water visibility.
The teal-green tint and diffuse haze throughout the water column suggest a moderate level of suspended particulates or light plankton bloom, common after short-period wind chop stirs the shallow nearshore zone. The relatively short swell period likely contributes to mild sediment suspension near the bottom and reduced horizontal clarity. Conditions appear typical of a mid-range visibility day with no extreme turbidity event but no exceptional clarity either.
Conditions are marginal for recreational diving — visibility is workable for experienced divers but not ideal for photography or less experienced divers. If the tide is moving toward low later this morning, visibility may improve slightly as tidal flushing and reduced swell influence settle down.
• Wind: 7.8 mph
• Cloud Cover: 20%
• Water Temp: 66.2°F
• Chlorophyll: 0.37 mg/m³ (GREEN)
• Swell: 1.6 ft @ 4.0 sec from W (253°) — moderate
• Tide: Unknown → next L at 07:45 (0.493 ft)
• Community Report: No report
3:00 PM Update — Grade C
Visibility: 10–13 ft
The 4 ft pilings on the right side of the frame are visible but lack sharp surface detail, appearing soft and somewhat hazy — not the crisp, textured appearance expected at this range. The 11 ft pilings are discernible as elongated vertical structures but are significantly hazed over, with limited structural definition and no fine surface detail visible. The 14 ft piling set cannot be independently identified as a third distinct tier — only two piling sets are reliably countable in this frame, and per the counting rule this caps the grade at C+ or lower. The water has a blue-green tint with notable mid-water turbidity, and a diffuse scattering of suspended particulates is visible throughout the water column. Several small fish (likely topsmelt or similar schooling species) are visible at mid-range, which helps confirm moderate but not good visibility. The overall scene lacks the deep blue clarity associated with Grade B or higher conditions.
The blue-green water color and mid-column turbidity suggest a mix of fine suspended sediment and possibly light phytoplankton presence, consistent with short-period wind chop stirring the shallow nearshore water column. Short-period swell from the west tends to resuspend sediment near the pier pilings, reducing horizontal visibility even when conditions appear calm at the surface. The scattered particulate haze throughout the frame is characteristic of mechanically mixed turbidity rather than a plankton bloom.
Conditions are marginal for recreational diving — acceptable for experienced divers comfortable with 10–13 ft visibility but not ideal for photography or novice divers. Visibility may improve slightly around the incoming low tide cycle as tidal flushing can temporarily clear nearshore turbidity, though the short-period chop is a persistent limiting factor today.
• Wind: 7.8 mph
• Cloud Cover: 20%
• Water Temp: 66.2°F
• Chlorophyll: 0.37 mg/m³ (GREEN)
• Swell: 1.6 ft @ 4.0 sec from W (253°) — moderate
• Tide: Unknown → next L at 06:43 (0.215 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 moderate surface detail, showing structural texture and some kelp/marine growth, though not razor sharp. The 11 ft pilings are identifiable in the mid-range but carry noticeable haze and reduced contrast, with structure discernible but softened. The 14 ft piling set cannot be confidently identified as a distinct third tier — the image shows only two clear piling sets, with the background fading into a uniform blue-green murk beyond the second set. The water is a murky teal-green rather than deep blue, consistent with moderate particulate or biological turbidity. A loose school of what appear to be jack mackerel or similar schooling fish is visible mid-water, suggesting decent mid-column light but limited horizontal range. Overall, horizontal visibility appears to be in the 10–13 ft range based on the loss of the third piling tier and the green cast to the water.
The greenish teal water color suggests elevated phytoplankton concentration or suspended particulates, both common along the La Jolla shelf in productive coastal upwelling conditions. The relatively uniform murk throughout the water column indicates the turbidity is likely biological in origin rather than storm-driven sediment, which would typically concentrate near the bottom. A rising tide may be advecting clearer or more turbid offshore water toward the pier, which could shift conditions either direction over the next few hours.
Conditions are marginal at roughly 10–13 ft visibility — acceptable for experienced divers with a purpose but not ideal for photography or low-visibility-intolerant activities. Visibility may improve slightly around or just after the tidal slack later tonight, but the rising tide and current green tint suggest conditions are unlikely to dramatically improve before then.
• Wind: 14 mph
• Cloud Cover: 20%
• Water Temp: 66.0°F
• Chlorophyll: 0.37 mg/m³ (GREEN)
• Swell: 1.6 ft @ 14.0 sec from NW (278°) — favorable
• Tide: Rising → next H at 23:42 (4.608 ft)
• Community Report: No report
12:00 PM Update — Grade C
Visibility: 10–13 ft
The 4 ft pilings on the left and right edges of the frame are visible but appear soft and somewhat hazy — surface texture and structural detail are present but not crisp. The 11 ft pilings are identifiable as mid-distance vertical structures but carry noticeable haze, with reduced contrast and indistinct surface detail. The 14 ft pilings cannot be confidently identified as a distinct third set beyond the 11 ft tier — what appears in the far background is either the 11 ft set itself or vague shadowy forms that do not constitute a clearly present third piling tier. Water color is a muted teal-green rather than deep blue, indicative of moderate particulate load or biological turbidity. Only two piling tiers can be reliably confirmed, which per the counting rule places this firmly at C or lower. The scattered small fish throughout the water column are visible but lose definition quickly with distance. Overall clarity is moderate at best, consistent with a C-grade visibility window of roughly 10–13 feet.
The greenish teal hue of the water suggests elevated particulate matter — likely a mix of fine sediment suspension and possible phytoplankton or organic material in the water column. The long-period swell present can cause periodic surge under the pier, resuspending bottom sediment and contributing to reduced mid-range clarity. Rising tide conditions may be introducing turbid nearshore water, which is consistent with the soft, hazy appearance throughout the frame.
Conditions are marginal right now — acceptable for experienced divers with reduced-visibility comfort, but not ideal for photography or reef surveys. Visibility may improve slightly after the tide peaks and begins falling, potentially in the early morning hours, which historically brings cleaner water under the pier.
• Wind: 5.8 mph
• Cloud Cover: 75%
• Water Temp: 65.1°F
• Chlorophyll: 0.37 mg/m³ (GREEN)
• Swell: 1.3 ft @ 14.0 sec from NW (274°) — favorable
• Tide: Rising → next H at 23:42 (4.608 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 both the left and right sides of the frame with some surface texture discernible, though they appear slightly softened by haze rather than razor-sharp. The 11 ft pilings are identifiable as distinct vertical structures in the mid-frame but carry noticeable haze and lack fine structural detail — they are present but not clearly defined. The 14 ft piling set cannot be confidently identified as a third distinct tier beyond the 11 ft pilings; what is visible in the background appears as indistinct diffuse shapes rather than a clearly separate and identifiable piling set. The water has a characteristic blue-green tint with suspended particulates visible throughout the water column, consistent with moderate turbidity. Overall, only two piling tiers can be reliably counted, which per the grading rules caps the assessment at C+ or lower.
The blue-green water color and visible particulate haze suggest a moderate level of biological turbidity, likely from plankton or fine suspended sediment rather than heavy sand disturbance. Conditions appear somewhat typical of near-shore Southern California coastal water with mild chop influence, with visibility reduced by a diffuse scattering layer throughout the water column rather than a single murky event. The falling tide may provide mild improvement over the coming hours as tidal flushing acts on the water column.
Current conditions are marginal for recreational diving — visibility around 10–13 ft is workable but not ideal, with limited range for photography or species observation. If the tide continues to fall toward the afternoon low, a slight improvement is possible, making a late-afternoon dive window potentially more favorable than diving now.
Current Conditions
• Wind: 3.4 mph
• Cloud Cover: 100%
• Water Temp: 65.7°F
• Chlorophyll: 0.37 mg/m³ (GREEN)
• Swell: 1.0 ft @ 13.0 sec from W (268°) — moderate
• Tide: Falling → next L at 16:52 (2.142 ft)
• Community Report: No report
Dive Grade: C
🎥 Live Camera: https://coollab.ucsd.edu/pierviz/
