Warm water in the southern CA beaches?
 

Traveling to Laguna Beach in August. What temperature can I expect the water to be? I am kind of used to my heated swimming pool.

If I'm not mistaken, the water off the coast of California is too deep to warm up very much.

GoTravel is right. Water on the West Coast is cool as the currents bring it south from Alaska. Even as far south as Puerto Vallarta Mexico (same latitude as Hawaii), we found the water to be rather chilly. The East and (especially) Gulf Coasts have much warmer water.<BR><BR>Ken

I am a native Californian and used to swim in the ocean when I was a kid - I haven't been in past my knees in probably 10 years though because I think it's too cold now, even in summer.

If there's warm water off the California coast, I have yet to find it. I swam in water from Santa Cruz to San Diego and it was always cold. Most surfers/boogie boarders wear at least partial skin suits to help stay warm. Laguna has great tide pools and a nice sandy beach, but I can't ever recall seeing people swim in the water there. :)

68-72<BR><BR>Even tho this is a narrow range, you will find that at 68 you will get quite chilled and will probably not be able to stay in over an hour without some serious warming up.<BR><BR>However, at 70 degrees you can stay in for several hours with no problem and at 72 it will feel quite warm.<BR><BR>This from someone who waits until the pools in Phoenix get to at least 80 before he goes in!

How disappointing...I thought the water would be warm. I am from the midwest and I won't get in my pool until it is heated to 85!

The only place you will find ocean water at 85 degrees is North Carolina down to Florida on the east coast and in the Gulf of Mexico.

since nobody really answered your question- the temp should be about 69-73 degrees. Some years it really warms up some years it doesn't. August is usually the warmest. For most people who live here and go to the beach regularly the August temps feel feels cool to cold when you are just stepping in and takes about 2-5 minutes to get used to it and then you are fine. if you think it's still too cold then rent a full wetsuit (3mm) or a spring suit (short sleeves and down to the knees) and you will be toasty.

I moved to Long Beach from MA just out of college. You can imagine what water temps are like in MA, yet the Pacific around Long Beach was COLD even to me!<BR><BR>

OliveOil:<BR><BR>The water along the east coast is comes from the south via the Gulf Stream. The water on the west coast comes from the north via the Japanese Current.<BR><BR>It wouldn't surprise me at all to find that the water off MA is warmer than the water off southern Cal.<BR><BR>In summer we used to body surf off Long Island. I wouldn'd consider that even off San Diego.<BR><BR>Ken

The warmest salt water you will find on the Califronia coast will be in Mission Bay in San Diego. It will not be Caribbean-warm, but it won't be as chilly as the open beach.

Definitely too cold to enjoy.<BR><BR>The interesting thing is the beaches are cool too - so you don't get that overheated feeling causing the desperate need to go in the water. <BR> <BR>The sun can be a little intense at times so I take an umbrella for reprieve, but really have never needed to go in the ocean.<BR>Save the swimming for your hotel pool.

Sorry, but I find some of the responses regarding coldness rather ludicrous. Having grown-up on SoCal beaches I know the water will be anywhere from 68-72 in August -- possibly warmer if it's a particurlarly hot summer/day. However, 68 degree water is not a problem. It will initially feel a bit cold compared to the day's air temp, and your average skin temp of 76 degrees. But if you jump in, the water will be just fine after a few seconds once you adapt. No, it is not like jumping into a heated pool that is 76 degrees or warmer and very comforting. But in 80-90+ weather, it's a nice cool dip that gets you out of the heat. We just returned from Hawaii where the same Pacific Ocean was 68-70 degrees, and just wonderful for swimming.<BR><BR>

So how come Frankie and Annette never seemed to have goose-bumps and blue lips?

Here folks, take a look at this. It should put this issue to bed once and for all. It's an NOAA web page showing average monthly water temps for a whole bunch of US locations (east and west coasts). As is clearly evident, the water off of California is just plain chilly. The water off of Santa Barbara has colder summer temp than the water in Boston Harbor. <BR><BR>Hawaii's water is much warmer - as is the water off of Texas, Florida and the rest of the Gulf coast. California is a great place for a lot of things... but not for swimming in my opinion.<BR><BR>http://www.nodc.noaa.gov/dsdt/wtg12.html<BR><BR>Hope this helps.<BR><BR>Ken

Whatever DB!!!<BR><BR>That california water is COLD. PERIOD. End of discussion. Why is it then that we see so many people on TV in Cali wearing body suits?<BR><BR>I frequently go to San Diego/Cali (from Florida while visiting my in-laws in Phoenix) and every time I see about 10% of the people actually in the water. Everyone else is on the sand. And that is during summer!!!<BR><BR>Man is that water cold!!! Of course I would expect anyone who LIVED in Cali a long time would eventually get used to it - maybe!!!<BR>