Reading tides/swells/ etc

Ok, I'm sure it's on the site somewhere but I've searched through forums and can't find a thread or links so could someone point me in the right direction of a reliable website and/or help explain how to look at the tide/swell forecasts?  I moved from CO and feel very comfortable in a kayak and I've done some kayaking on the ocean before but I really want to learn to read the conditions.  I'd like to be able to go out on the coast further than the inner bay but I'm not going to do it until I feel like I know what to expect from the ocean conditions.  Any help would be great!!
Paul

Good move arming yourself with info prior to going for it, Paul. 

I'd start with NWS/NOAA marine forecasts for your area.  They'll give predicted wind and swell height a few days out, and they update every 6 hours or so. 

Another very good source of marine forecasting is "Stormsurf" - go there, dial it in to your locale, and look at "surf" and "wind" - they'll give you 6 hour windows for the next week. 

Once you are familiar with those or similar forecasting sources you need to go to the ocean and see how the forecast translated to reality. 

Best of luck - time and awareness are important commitments to make it all work.   

A broncos fan named Paul???ain't room enough for the two of us brotha haha. I use the "windAlert" and "tide chart" apps

Excellent you guys, I'll give those a shot!  Thank you.

If you are in NORCAL check usafishing.com/bodegabay and scroll to bottom for recent wind & wave graph.  Be prepared for fog to set in quickly, compass, gps and check/look at where you launched from  since off shore it can look different.

gary

Even when you have a forecast. the weather can change real quick. I always watch for white caps. when I see 5 at the same time I get off.

Tides are pretty static, can be looked up in a number of places.  What you really want to keep an eye on is swell and wind.  Depending on where i'm going to fish, I use different resources to clue me in on the conditions.  Sites like WindAlert and SwellInfo are the two that I use the most for the local bay area.  NOAA/Weather.gov for pretty much anything else. 

Whatever site your looking at, be sure to start looking a few days ahead of your planned outing.  That way you will be able to see if there is a trend in favor of fishing conditions, or against.  Be optimistically cautious of reports where it says something like Saturday will be great, but Sunday will be blowing, when you plan on going out Saturday.  Prediction engines are not 100% by any means, and sometimes are a day off. 

Check out TIDEGRAPH app, great LOCAL tide stations.   The tides in SF bay vary wildly from published tides at the GG Bridge.

Here's a post with lots of info.

http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=32677.0