Surf spot

3 Mile

Forecast conditions and map view for 3 Mile in USA, California, Santa Cruz. Open the interactive surf map to inspect wind, waves, and nearby spots.

Country: USA, California, Santa Cruz
Coordinates: 36.9615, -122.1173

Metric
Metric	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00
Wave height (m)	0.9	0.9	0.9	1	0.9	0.8	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.8	0.6	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.5	0.7	0.8	0.6	0.4	0.4	0.6	1.3	1.5	1.5	1.6	1.6	1.5	0.9	1.4	1.7	1.7	1.7	1.6	1.6	1.5	1.4	1.4	1.3	1.2	1.2	1.2	1.2	1.1	1	1	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.8	0.8	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.5
Wave direction	WNW	WNW	NW	NW	NW	SW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	NW	W	SW	SW	W	W	WNW	WNW	NW	W	S	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	NW	NW	NW	NW	NW	NW	NW	NW	NW	NW	W	S
Wave period (s)	8.2	8.1	7.2	7.5	7.9	11.9	7	6.8	6.8	6.6	6.5	6.5	9.5	11.5	11.3	9.4	9.6	5.8	4.8	6.2	9.9	10.6	6.5	5.7	5.8	6.1	6.3	6.3	6.9	7.8	6.7	6.3	6.3	6.3	6.3	6.3	6.3	6.4	6.3	6.2	6.2	6.2	6.2	6.3	6.3	6.8	6.2	7	6.4	6.3	6.5	6.5	6.5	7.4	10.5	13.1
Wave energy (kJ)	103	106	92	108	92	200	81	81	78	77	75	60	74	115	87	60	42	29	28	31	32	36	28	105	151	176	212	217	203	103	183	228	233	222	212	198	181	156	145	128	113	105	107	105	103	90	83	71	72	58	55	49	41	45	74	86
Wind speed (km/h)	1.8	1.5	2.2	13	20.5	18.8	4.7	1.5	1.5	1.5	3.1	8.8	32.2	31.7	20.1	13	9.8	4.5	5.8	6.5	22.2	25.1	19.4	8.7	2.1	2.9	2.6	8.2	17.7	24.8	12.6	5.4	4.9	4.3	3.3	4.1	13.7	15.5	12.2	4.3	5.9	2.9	1.9	7.4	10.6	15.6	13.5	7.9	6.2	5.4	1.1	7.2	13.8	18.5	10.4	5.8
Wind direction	SGlassy	SEGlassy	WGlassy	WCross	WCross	NWCross-off	NNWGlassy	SSEGlassy	NNWGlassy	NNEGlassy	ENEGlassy	WCross	WNWCross-off	NWCross-off	NNWCross-off	NNWOffshore	NOffshore	NNWGlassy	NOffshore	WCross	WNWCross-off	NWCross-off	NWCross-off	NNWOffshore	ENEGlassy	EGlassy	SEGlassy	SWCross-on	WCross	WNWCross-off	NNWOffshore	NOffshore	NNWGlassy	NGlassy	NNEGlassy	SWGlassy	WSWCross	WCross	NWCross-off	NWGlassy	NWCross-off	NGlassy	ENEGlassy	SSWOnshore	SWCross-on	WCross	NWCross-off	NWCross-off	NOffshore	NOffshore	EGlassy	SWCross-on	WCross	WNWCross	NWCross-off	ECross

3 Mile Beach in Santa Cruz, California is a lesser-known surf break along the Monterey Bay coastline, south of the main Santa Cruz lineup scene. It’s a beachbreak setting with shifting sandbars, so the waves can vary a lot depending on swell, wind, and tides.

Quick description

Type: Beachbreak
Wave shape: Usually punchy and changeable, with peaks that can open up both left and right
Best conditions: Clean NW swell with light offshore winds
Tide: Often works best around mid tide, though sandbar-dependent
Crowds: Generally lighter than the famous Santa Cruz breaks, but it can still get busy when conditions are good

What it’s like

3 Mile tends to be more of a local, inconsistent, sandbar-dependent wave than a highly reliable everyday surf spot. When it’s working, it can offer fun, hollow sections and quick takeoffs. Because it’s exposed to the open coast, conditions can get rough or blown out quickly with the wrong wind.

Notes

Since it’s a beachbreak, the quality can change from day to day.
Hazards can include strong currents, shorebreak, and shifting sandbars.
It’s a good idea to check recent reports or local updates before heading out.