Swell direction
Trade-wind swells (E/NE); typhoon swells from any direction
West Side · Saipan
The Northern Mariana Islands' wave-data lifeline.
Get Tanapag, Saipan live dataFreeBuoy CDIP 197 · Tanapag, Saipan
CDIP buoy 197 sits off Tanapag on the west coast of Saipan, the largest island of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Like Guam, Saipan sits in the trade-wind belt with seasonal typhoon exposure. The Tanapag buoy is the only public wave instrument in the CNMI.
What you want to see on the buoy before you paddle out.
Swell direction
Trade-wind swells (E/NE); typhoon swells from any direction
Swell period
8–14 s typical; storm-driven longer-period events seasonally
Best for
Saipan and Tinian reef-pass surf, sailing, fishing
Wind
Trade winds dominate; calmer mornings during the rainy season
Tanapag is a single-buoy region — there's no second buoy to cross-reference. Treat readings as open-ocean wave conditions, not specific surf spot reports.
The Tanapag buoy supports surfers, fishermen, the US Coast Guard, and the local ocean economy across Saipan, Tinian, and Rota. For visiting surfers, pair the Da Buoys reading with local knowledge — the islands' reef passes are spot-specific and conditions vary fast.
Da Buoys puts the Tanapag, Saipan reading on your iPhone home screen. No subscription, no ads, no signup. Just the buoy.
Get Da Buoys — Free