Apache Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get straight into it. We’ve got a pretty grim 16-day window ahead for the breaks around here, so don’t get your hopes up too high. The only named spot on the cards is Apache-Pier, and I’ve got to be straight with you—it’s looking like a long stretch of poor conditions. The first recommendation doesn’t pop up until the very end of the period, so we’re talking about a blank run of over a week with nothing worth paddling out for.

Right now, starting Wednesday the 29th of July, it’s all tiny and messy. Swell is barely 2ft to 2ft, wind is mostly onshore or cross-shore, and the energy is weak—down around 28 to 16 (combined energy of all swells directed here). That’s just not doing anything for us. Thursday the 30th sees a glassy moment in the afternoon with 2ft from the south, but it’s still too small and weak to get excited about. Friday and into the weekend, it’s the same story: poor surf, onshore winds, and the swell barely tickling 3ft. The water temp is sitting at 84°, which is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

We go through the whole first week of August with nothing. Risk of thunderstorms, moderate to fresh onshore winds, and the swell trying to push up to 3ft to 4ft on the 3rd, but the wind is just ruining any chance of a clean wave. The combined energy climbs to 111 and 116 (moderate wave energy), but the conditions are so lumpy and choppy, it’s not worth it for a paddle. Honestly, this setup might look more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing on those days.

Then there’s a big gap of several days with no real hope. The 7th of August finally shows a bit of a pulse: a 3ft south-easterly swell with a 10-second period, combined energy of 157 (moderate), but the wind is cross-shore and the report still calls it poor. By the morning of the 8th, we get our first and only real standout. Saturday morning the 8th of August, Apache-Pier sees a 4ft swell from the southeast, with a period of 8 seconds, and glassy conditions. Combined energy is 140 (moderate). The water is clean, and the waves are surfable but very ordinary. Still, it’s the best we’ve got in this whole run. That’s the one to target if you’re desperate. The swell direction is SSE, which matches the optimum swell direction for this spot, so it’s got a bit of shape to it.

After that, it drops back down to poor conditions through the 9th to the 13th, with onshore winds and small, weak swells. The 11th morning sees a brief clean window with 2ft from the southeast, but it’s too small to get excited about.

So, look, this is a tough stretch. If you’re a beginner, the small stuff on the 8th might be okay, but it’s not going to be great. For the rest of us, it’s a waiting game. The forecasts can change, but for now, keep your board in the car and your eyes on the horizon.

Rusty.

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