Simple Tides / Guides / Half Moon Bay Tides
Half Moon Bay Tide Chart
Half Moon Bay — Pillar Point Harbor on the San Mateo coast — rides a five-foot mixed semidiurnal tide between the Mavericks surf break and one of California’s great crab and salmon ports.
Upcoming tides in Half Moon Bay
Live NOAA predictions for station 9414131 (Pillar Point Harbor).
| Day | Time | Tide | Height |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loading live tide predictions… | |||
Heights in feet above MLLW, station local time. See the full interactive tide map.
The pattern
Two unequal highs and two unequal lows daily with around five feet of range at Pillar Point. The harbor’s breakwater tames the ocean side; the minus tides expose the reef’s intertidal life.
Mavericks and crab
Mavericks breaks biggest on the winter swells — tide is secondary to swell, but the paddle-out reads the water. The commercial fleet works salmon and Dungeness crab in season; the jetties give up perch and rockfish.
Boating
Pillar Point is the coast’s refuge harbor — mind the entrance in big surf. Outside is open ocean: check swell with the tide. For the region, see our Central & Northern California tide guide.