Bay Head Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s cookin’ at Bay Head over the next couple weeks. Gotta be straight with you – it’s a tough stretch. The first week is almost a write-off, with weak, small swells and unfriendly winds making for some pretty ordinary conditions.

The Overall Pattern

We’re looking at a long, frustrating gap to start. From now right through until the 23rd of August, the surf is tiny – we’re talking knee-to-waist high at best, with most days offering nothing worth paddling out for. The winds are messy, with a lot of cross and onshore stuff keeping things choppy or bumpy. It’s a huge gap of dead or poor quality conditions. You’re better off leaving the board in the car.

Then, around the 24th of August, we finally get a shift. The wind goes glassy or offshore, and a new, longer-period groundswell tries to push in from the ESE. It’s still very small in height, but the energy starts to show up. The real standout window, however, looks to be the last few days of August and the very start of September. A solid, long-period ESE groundswell builds, with combined wave energy climbing into the three-digit range (moderate). It’s a long way out, so keep an eye on it.

The One and Only Standout

If you can wait, the true highlight is Monday the 31st of August. The morning session at Bay Head is looking like the best bet of the whole run. We’ve got clean, light cross-onshore winds from the NE at just 6 mph, with an ESE swell pushing 2 ft. The real story is the period – a solid 9 seconds – and the combined energy hits a moderate 112. The swell direction from the ESE lines up nicely with the optimum SE direction for this spot. The water temp is already notably warm, sitting at 77°F with an anomaly of 4°F – that’s much warmer than normal for this time of year. It’s still a smallish wave, but it’ll be clean and have some push. That Monday arvo gets a bit smaller with a cross-shore wind, so the morning is the go. Keep in mind, this spot can get crowds sometimes, so expect some company if it’s looking clean.

The Second Week Caveat

That last week from the 26th of August onward has a few sessions of clean, offshore winds and moderate energy (145, 123, 104), but the swell height stays pretty modest at 2 ft. The period is long (12 seconds), which means better-shaped waves and easier paddling between sets. It’s not a massive swell, but for a patient surfer, it’s the most promising window of the entire outlook. Just remember, it’s a fair way off, so forecasts can wobble.

Rusty out.

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