# Free ocean footage: waves, beaches and seas

> Free ocean stock video: breaking waves, beaches, coastlines and open sea, plus ocean science from NASA, with resolution, length and licence on every clip.

20 clips from 3 sources (NASA Image and Video Library 11, Internet Archive 7, NASA Scientific Visualization Studio 2), updated 2026-10-28. Picked from a live search and refreshed daily.

- Same search in the browser: https://video.shep.bot/search?q=ocean&category=nature.ocean
- Same search over the API: `curl "https://video.shep.bot/v1/search?q=ocean&category=nature.ocean"`
- Details, files and the credit line: `GET https://video.shep.bot/v1/clips/{id}` with an id from the table below.
- Licence verdicts: "Commercial use OK" (with or without credit) is cleared for commercial videos; anything else must be checked or is non-commercial. "(editorial)" means people, insignia or brands appear without releases: not for ads. See https://video.shep.bot/docs/licences.md
- Video is never re-hosted: posters, previews and downloads come straight from the source sites.

## Ocean b-roll

Waves are the most requested nature shot there is: under an intro, behind a title, as a calm cut between interview segments. A slow, wide shot of a swell sits under voice-over without competing; close shots of breaking surf and spray work as transitions. Shots taken at golden hour cut together more easily than a mix of midday and sunset light.

## Where these clips come from

Wikimedia Commons holds many freely licensed coastline and wave recordings, each with its licence recorded per file. NASA adds the ocean seen from orbit and its science: currents, tides and sea temperature, often in 4K. The Internet Archive contributes older seaside and travel films, which are editorial because of the people in them. For modern lifestyle beach footage, follow the links to Pexels and Pixabay that every search includes.

Hover any clip to watch its preview straight from the source, and open it for every rendition and the credit line.

## Clips

| Clip | id | What | Source | Licence | Commercial use | Direct download |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [El Niño 2026: Ocean Apparent Visible Wavelength (2025 vs. 2026) – Updated Daily](https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/5687/) | `nasasvs:5687` | Ocean & beach, Data visualisation, 720p, 2026 | NASA Scientific Visualization Studio | NASA media (public domain in the US) | Commercial use OK with credit | yes |
| [Meanwhile, At the Bottom of the Ocean](https://images.nasa.gov/details/GSFC_20111012_BF_m10849_Bottom_Ocean) | `nasa:GSFC_20111012_BF_m10849_Bottom_Ocean` | Ocean & beach, 2011 | NASA Image and Video Library | NASA media (public domain in the US) | Commercial use OK with credit (editorial) | yes |
| [Ocean Lava underwater](https://archive.org/details/pillow_lava_480) | `internetarchive:pillow_lava_480` | Ocean & beach, 0:48, 2004 | Internet Archive | Public domain | Unclear: check the terms (editorial) | yes |
| [Ocean Circulation Plays an Important Role in Absorbing Carbon from the Atmosphere](https://images.nasa.gov/details/GSFC_20170609_Carbon_m12629_AMOCcarbon) | `nasa:GSFC_20170609_Carbon_m12629_AMOCcarbon` | Ocean & beach, 2017 | NASA Image and Video Library | NASA media (public domain in the US) | Commercial use OK with credit (editorial) | yes |
| [Ocean Tides and Magnetic Fields](https://images.nasa.gov/details/GSFC_20161212_Tidal_m12450_Magnetic) | `nasa:GSFC_20161212_Tidal_m12450_Magnetic` | Ocean & beach, 2016 | NASA Image and Video Library | NASA media (public domain in the US) | Commercial use OK with credit (editorial) | yes |
| [Panorama of Ocean Beach and Cliff House(1903)](https://archive.org/details/PanoramaOfOceanBeachAndCliffHouse1903) | `internetarchive:PanoramaOfOceanBeachAndCliffHouse1903` | Ocean & beach, 1:38 | Internet Archive | CC0 1.0 | Unclear: check the terms (editorial) | yes |
| [Tracking Ocean Heat With Magnetic Fields](https://images.nasa.gov/details/GSFC_20161212_Ocean_m12456_Heat) | `nasa:GSFC_20161212_Ocean_m12456_Heat` | Ocean & beach, 2016 | NASA Image and Video Library | NASA media (public domain in the US) | Commercial use OK with credit (editorial) | yes |
| [Anthony Mackie Asks NASA About Ocean Science](https://images.nasa.gov/details/Anthony%20Mackie_SharkBeach_NatGeoSocial_NASA_007) | `nasa:Anthony Mackie_SharkBeach_NatGeoSocial_NASA_007` | Ocean & beach, 2024 | NASA Image and Video Library | NASA media (public domain in the US) | Commercial use OK with credit (editorial) | yes |
| [Operation Crossroads (Part I)](https://archive.org/details/Operatio1946) | `internetarchive:Operatio1946` | Ocean & beach, Black & white, 12:06, 1946 | Internet Archive | Public domain | Commercial use OK (editorial) | yes |
| [El Niño 2026: Sea Surface Temperature Anomaly (2025 vs. 2026) – Updated Daily](https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/5688/) | `nasasvs:5688` | Ocean & beach, Data visualisation, 1440p, 2026 | NASA Scientific Visualization Studio | NASA media (public domain in the US) | Commercial use OK with credit | yes |
| [The Incredible Petrified World](https://archive.org/details/TheIncrediblePetrifiedWorld) | `internetarchive:TheIncrediblePetrifiedWorld` | Ocean & beach, Black & white, 1:03:16, 1957 | Internet Archive | Public domain | Unclear: check the terms (editorial) | yes |
| [Water in Helheim Glacier Makes Its Way to the Ocean](https://images.nasa.gov/details/GSFC_20170215_Helheim_m12509_Aquifer) | `nasa:GSFC_20170215_Helheim_m12509_Aquifer` | Ocean & beach, 2017 | NASA Image and Video Library | NASA media (public domain in the US) | Commercial use OK with credit (editorial) | yes |
| [Operation Crossroads (Part II)](https://archive.org/details/Operatio1946_2) | `internetarchive:Operatio1946_2` | Ocean & beach, Black & white, 14:30, 1946 | Internet Archive | Public domain | Commercial use OK (editorial) | yes |
| [Europa Clipper: Exploring Jupiter’s Ocean Moon (Mission Overview)](https://images.nasa.gov/details/JPL-20240916-CLIPPRf-0001-Europa%20Clipper%20Mission%20Overview) | `nasa:JPL-20240916-CLIPPRf-0001-Europa Clipper Mission Overview` | Ocean & beach, 2024 | NASA Image and Video Library | NASA media (public domain in the US) | Commercial use OK with credit (editorial) | yes |
| [Why Does NASA Want to Explore Jupiter’s Ocean Moon? (Europa Clipper Science Overview)](https://images.nasa.gov/details/JPL-20240515-CLIPPRf-0001-Europa%20Clipper%20Science%20Overview%20Video) | `nasa:JPL-20240515-CLIPPRf-0001-Europa Clipper Science Overview Video` | Ocean & beach, 2024 | NASA Image and Video Library | NASA media (public domain in the US) | Commercial use OK with credit (editorial) | yes |
| [THE BATTLE FOR THE BEACHES](https://archive.org/details/gov.archives.arc.65841) | `internetarchive:gov.archives.arc.65841` | Ocean & beach | Internet Archive | Public domain | Unclear: check the terms (editorial) | yes |
| [Heavyweight Boxing](https://archive.org/details/HeavyweightBoxing) | `internetarchive:HeavyweightBoxing` | Ocean & beach | Internet Archive | Public domain | Unclear: check the terms (editorial) | yes |
| [A 3D Look at the 2015 El Niño](https://images.nasa.gov/details/GSFC_20170526_ElNino_m12601_3D) | `nasa:GSFC_20170526_ElNino_m12601_3D` | Ocean & beach, 2017 | NASA Image and Video Library | NASA media (public domain in the US) | Commercial use OK with credit (editorial) | yes |
| [Two Research Vessels Leave for the Twilight Zone](https://images.nasa.gov/details/GSFC_20180808_m13032_EXPORTS) | `nasa:GSFC_20180808_m13032_EXPORTS` | Ocean & beach, 2018 | NASA Image and Video Library | NASA media (public domain in the US) | Commercial use OK with credit (editorial) | yes |
| [Arctic Sea Ice Age 2016 with VO from Walt Meier](https://images.nasa.gov/details/GSFC_20161028_IceAge_m12403_Yearly) | `nasa:GSFC_20161028_IceAge_m12403_Yearly` | Ocean & beach, 2016 | NASA Image and Video Library | NASA media (public domain in the US) | Commercial use OK with credit (editorial) | yes |

## Questions

**Can I use free ocean footage in an ad?**

Usually, if the clip's verdict is Commercial use OK: waves and seascapes rarely show anyone identifiable. Check for people on a beach or branded boats, and credit CC BY and NASA clips.

**Why are there NASA clips in an ocean collection?**

NASA studies the ocean from space: sea surface temperature, currents and tides. Those visualisations make striking b-roll for climate and science videos, and they are free to use with credit.

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Source: https://video.shep.bot/footage/free-ocean-footage