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The beach remains one of the most popular summer vacation destinations in the U.S. Both coastal residents and out-of-town tourists partake in the many joys it has to offer. From swimming to surfing to sun bathing and whale watching, the shore provides us with so many unique activities. To help keep the coastal economy thriving, coastal communities safe, and your vacation enjoyable, NOAA provides a variety of services, including:

tides

Tides and Currents

Tides and currents data provide information on the movement of water. Knowing how the water is moving keeps swimmers and boaters safe in the water and coastal communities aware of sea level changes and storm surge.
nautical charts

Nautical Charts

Navigational mapping provides up-to-date nautical charts to help keep recreational boaters and commercial maritime traffic safe in and out of busy marinas and ports.
shoreline

Shoreline Mapping and Photography

Shoreline aerial photography and mapping provides community leaders and planners with the tools and information necessary to make sound decisions when planning waterfront development.
sanctuaries

Sanctuaries and Protected Areas

National marine sanctuaries and marine protected areas protect threatened and endangered species as well as historic, archaeological, and recreational resources for many generations.
coastal management

Coastal Management

Support for coastal management helps to keep beach community residents and visitors safe, local economies sound, and natural resources functioning.
harmful algal bloom

Harmful Algal Blooms

Harmful algal bloom (HAB) forecasts in Lake Erie and the Gulf of Mexico help people make informed decisions when a bloom is temporarily affecting their area. The forecasts also help those responsible for responding to bloom impacts.
aerial view of stream runoff in ocean

Clean Coasts

Clean coasts keep beaches safe from pollutants by reducing the harmful effects of oil and chemical spills large and small.
marine debris

Marine Debris

Preventing marine debris and reducing the amount of debris in our ocean and coasts benefits the environment, navigation safety, the economy, and human health.
Beach Forecast Page

Beach Forecast Page

NOAA has launched a national rip current forecast model, aimed at saving lives of beach-goers around the country. This new model can predict the hourly probability of rip currents along U.S. beaches up to six days out.