First Coast Boating Forecast

Jacksonville to Daytona

Today's go / no-go call for First Coast, with wind, seas, tides, water clarity, and a captain's strategy note. Below is a real sample report so you can see exactly what you get every morning.

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Boating in First Coast

Passes & Inlets
  • ·St. Marys Inlet (Fernandina)
  • ·St. Johns River mouth (Mayport)
  • ·St. Augustine Inlet
  • ·Matanzas Inlet
  • ·Ponce de Leon Inlet (Ponce / Daytona)
Key Cities & Launch Areas
  • ·Fernandina Beach and Jacksonville
  • ·St. Augustine
  • ·Palm Coast
  • ·Daytona Beach and Ponce Inlet
Typical Conditions

Northeast Florida runs big tides and strong river-mouth currents, so inlet timing matters more here than wind alone. Northeast winds against an outgoing tide are the classic recipe for a rough inlet.

Sample daily forecast

A recent Boating Window report for First Coast. Open it on its own page.

Sample report. This is not a live forecast.
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First Coast

Jacksonville to Daytona

Boating Window
Daily Boating Decision Intelligence for First Coast

Boating Window Report - Sample

Jacksonville to Daytona

DECISION:
GO
GO for early morning departure. Mixed seas with crossing chop, best window before 9 AM.
Forecast Confidence
High
Hazard Flag
All Clear
No advisories in effect
Trend
Southeast winds building through the day, seas holding 2-3 feet with moderate chop and mixed wave patterns continuing into evening
Day Arc
morning
GO
6:30 AM - 9:30 AM
Best conditions of the day, southeast winds 10-15 knots with 2-3 foot mixed seas, launch early before winds build and before strong ebb current peaks at inlets
afternoon
GO
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Winds building toward 15 knots, moderate chop developing, slack tide around 10:30 AM eases inlet access, but mixed seas remain lumpy and uncomfortable
evening
GO
3:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Southeast winds peak around 15 knots, moderate chop persists, incoming tide begins but return ride bumpy with wind against you
Overall: GO - early morning
GO for early morning departure. Mixed seas with crossing chop, best window before 9 AM.
Launch by 7:00 AM - Return by noon
Sea Conditions
Wind
Southeast 10-15 knots, increasing to around 15 knots late afternoon
Southeast winds 10-15 knots building to 15 knots by late afternoon, moderate onshore flow keeping nearshore chop stacked through midday
Seas
Nearshore
2-3 feet
Offshore
2-3 feet
Sea State
Light to moderate chop
Mixed southeast wind chop and east swell creating confused, lumpy seas uncomfortable on every heading, short-period 5-second chop over 8-second background swell
Environment
Air Temp
82-88F
Water Temp
79-82F
Swim Comfort
Warm and pleasant, water temperature 79-82F
Visibility
10+ nautical miles
Sky & Safety
Sunrise
6:27 AM
Sunset
8:26 PM
UV Index
10 — Very High - sunscreen and protective clothing essential
Rain Chance
20%
Slight chance of showers this morning, clearing midday
Advisories
All Clear
No advisories in effect
  • ·Strong ebb current at St. Johns River entrance and St. Augustine Inlet through 10:30 AM
  • ·Mixed wave patterns create confused lumpy seas on every heading
  • ·Winds building to 15 knots late afternoon increase nearshore chop
Wind & Wave Forecast
Nearshore (0-20 nm)
morning
Wind: Southeast 10-15 knots
Seas: Light to moderate chop, 2 ft at 5 sec
Bay: Light to moderate chop in intracoastal
midday
Wind: Southeast 10-15 knots
Seas: Moderate chop, 2-3 ft at 5 sec
Bay: Moderate chop building in intracoastal
evening
Wind: Southeast around 15 knots
Seas: Moderate chop, 2-3 ft at 5 sec
Bay: Moderate chop persisting in intracoastal
→ Early morning departure captures lighter conditions before winds build to 15 knots and intracoastal reaches moderate chop
Offshore (20-60 nm)
morning
Wind: Southeast around 10 knots
Seas: Light to moderate seas, 2-3 ft at 8 sec
midday
Wind: Southeast 10-15 knots
Seas: Moderate seas, 2-3 ft at 8 sec
evening
Wind: Southeast 10-15 knots
Seas: Moderate seas, 2-3 ft at 8 sec
→ Offshore zone offers slightly better ride than nearshore with longer-period swell, but winds still build through afternoon
Water Clarity Index

Actual water color across First Coast — not generic ratings.

Nassau Sound / Amelia Island
green-blue
St. Johns River mouth (Mayport jetties)
green-brown
Jacksonville Beach
green-blue
Ponte Vedra
blue-green
St. Augustine Inlet
green-blue
Offshore (the ledge)
blue

No other forecast shows you where the water is actually clear.

Regional Tide Intel

Tide & Current Flow by Region

How tide direction is impacting boating conditions

Fernandina Beach

  • ·Ebbing tide through 10:46 AM creates strong southbound current
  • ·Nassau Sound passes run hard on outgoing tide
  • ·Incoming tide begins late morning, slack around 10:30 AM

Mayport / St. Johns

  • ·Strong ebb through 10:29 AM stacks chop at entrance
  • ·River outflow against southeast wind creates standing waves
  • ·Slack tide around 10:30 AM best for crossing bar

Ponte Vedra / Guana

  • ·Minimal tidal influence, ocean swells dominant factor today
  • ·Good clarity with light runoff
  • ·Southeast winds keep nearshore zone moderate chop all day

St. Augustine

  • ·Inlet ebbs hard through 10:08 AM, steep chop
  • ·Matanzas River outflow adds to ebb current strength
  • ·Slack around 10:00 AM, incoming tide begins late morning
Regional Boating Intel

Coastal Conditions by Region

How conditions vary across Jacksonville to Daytona today

Fernandina / Amelia

  • ·Mixed seas 2-3 feet with crossing chop patterns
  • ·Nassau Sound accessible but bouncy on ebb tide
  • ·Good clarity, green-blue water nearshore today

Mayport / Jacksonville Beach

  • ·St. Johns entrance stacked chop on morning ebb
  • ·Jacksonville Beach nearshore moderate chop, manageable conditions
  • ·Return ride bumpy as winds build afternoon

Ponte Vedra

  • ·Open ocean access, 2-3 foot mixed seas
  • ·Blue-green clarity excellent for nearshore work
  • ·Southeast wind keeps moderate chop all day

St. Augustine

  • ·Inlet ebb creates standing chop through late morning
  • ·Nearshore seas 2-3 feet, confused and lumpy
  • ·Good water clarity, green-blue conditions
Best Region Today
Offshore waters show slightly lighter winds this morning, best choice for calmer ride early
Best Use Case
Nearshore structure fishing or reef runs work well in these mixed seas if you depart early
Return Ride
Afternoon return faces building 15-knot southeast winds and moderate chop, plan for jarring head sea
Bill's Strategy Note

"Southeast winds 10-15 knots with confused lumpy seas from mixed southeast chop and east swell, jarring on every heading. Best approach is early morning departure before winds build. Launch by 7:00 AM, return by noon before afternoon increase to 15 knots."

7 Day Boating Outlook

Weekly Boating Decision Intelligence for planning your best days on the water

Thursday 6/11
GO
Morning launch before noon
Southeast winds building to 15 knots late afternoon
Friday 6/12
GO
All day favorable
Slight afternoon thunderstorm chance
Saturday 6/13
GO
Morning before noon
Afternoon thunderstorms likely, return early
Sunday 6/14
GO
Early morning best
Building afternoon winds and thunderstorm chance
Monday 6/15
GO
Morning launch preferred
Moderate southeast flow continues
Tuesday 6/16
GO
All day good
Light winds, possible afternoon sea breeze
Wednesday 6/17
GO
Morning best window
Winds building afternoon
Weekly Strategy

"Solid boating weather continues through the week. Thursday and Friday bring similar southeast wind patterns with 2-3 foot seas. Weekend shows afternoon thunderstorm risk Saturday and Sunday but morning windows remain favorable."

Forecast Confidence

High confidence - stable southeast flow pattern well established through Friday

Boating Window delivers daily and weekly Boating Decision Intelligence for First Coast. Sent daily by 5:00 PM.

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Boating Window delivers daily and weekly Boating Decision Intelligence for First Coast. Sent daily by 5:00 PM.