Sands (Coal Oil Point) water quality & water temp today
Sands @ Coal Oil Point: Open as of 2026-10-26 – Enterococcus <10
Source: Santa Barbara County Environmental Health · updated Mon Oct 26, 8:41 AM PT
Water temp
72.5°F
NOAA NDBC 46053 – EAST SANTA BARBARA - 12NM Southwest of Santa Barbara, CA, 18 km away · Tue Oct 27, 2:00 PM PT
What to wear
Boardshorts or a bikini/top
≥72°F trunks · 66–71 spring/2mm · 62–65 3/2 · 58–61 4/3 · <58 4/3–5/4 + booties
Latest bacteria grade
A+ dry · n/s wet
Sands at Coal Oil Point · Heal the Bay Beach Report Card · Oct 16, 2026 (n/s = not sampled)
Rain (72 h)
0.00″
NWS KSBA · below the 0.1″ advisory threshold
Official monitoring stations
- Sands @ Coal Oil Point — Open as of 2026-10-26 – Enterococcus <10
About Sands (Coal Oil Point)
Sands (Coal Oil Point) is a sand-bottom reef and point setup below the UCSB bluffs that comes alive on west and northwest swells in Santa Barbara County. Like most Southern California breaks, its water quality is driven mostly by runoff: after rain, storm drains, creeks and river mouths flush bacteria into the surf zone, and county health officers advise staying out of the ocean for at least 72 hours. During dry weather, water near creek mouths, piers and enclosed beaches still tends to grade worse than open coastline. County agencies sample weekly (more often in summer) and post advisories when bacteria exceed state standards, or close beaches after sewage spills. Ocean temperatures here typically run from the high 50s°F in spring upwelling to the low-to-mid 70s°F in late summer, so check the live reading above before choosing your rubber.
Wetsuit picks
Today's call here: Boardshorts or a bikini/top. Gear recommendations for each thickness are coming soon.
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