Read this
SeaStatus helps you decide. It does not decide for you, and it cannot see the water you're standing in front of.
SeaStatus is decision support, not a forecast service, and not a substitute for your own judgment. A green flag is an opinion generated from public marine data. It is not a guarantee that conditions are safe for you, your boat, your crew, or your plan for the day. You are the captain. That responsibility does not transfer to an app.
Before you launch, check the National Weather Service marine forecast for your zone and any active advisories or warnings. NWS is the authoritative source; SeaStatus reads from it, but it summarises and simplifies, and summarising loses detail. If SeaStatus and the NWS disagree, the NWS is right.
Data goes stale. Conditions are scored on a schedule, not continuously. If a reading is more than an hour old we hide the verdict rather than show one we can't stand behind — which is why you'll sometimes see "Getting current conditions" instead of a colour.
Buoys and stations fail. A buoy can go offline, drift, or report bad values. A tide station can be out for maintenance. The nearest station to your water may be miles away and in meaningfully different conditions.
Distance hides a lot. Scoring is per waterway, but a waterway is large. Wind against tide at an inlet, a shoaling bar, boat traffic, a local squall — none of that shows up in a zone forecast, and all of it can turn a calm day dangerous in one specific place.
Cameras show one moment, somewhere else. A camera view is a different vantage point, possibly a stale frame, and never the stretch of water you'll actually be on.
Vessel adjustment is a rule of thumb. We weight conditions by boat length and hull type. That doesn't know your engine's condition, your fuel, your crew's experience, or your seamanship.
It is not a navigation tool and must not be used for navigation. It doesn't know about shoals, channels, markers, hazards, restricted areas, or bridge clearances. It doesn't track you, and it will not call for help. Carry proper safety equipment, a VHF radio, and working navigation charts.
File a float plan with someone ashore — where you're launching, where you're going, and when you expect to be back. Check your own weather. Look at the water. If it doesn't feel right, don't go, no matter what colour this app is showing.
SeaStatus is provided as-is, without warranty of any kind. We don't guarantee that conditions data is accurate, current, or available. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we are not liable for any loss, injury, or damage arising from use of the service or reliance on anything it displays. See the Terms of Use.