Bay Head Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here again, looking at the Bay Head stretch for the next couple of weeks. Honestly, it’s a quiet picture for the most part. We’ve got a lot of small, weak, and mostly messy conditions on the table, so don’t get your hopes up for any hero sessions. The water is sitting at 74°, which is pretty much average for this time of year—nothing to write home about.

Right off the bat, Friday July 31st is a total washout. The morning is dead flat with a tiny 2ft SE swell, but it’s glassy as a mirror. If you’re desperate for a paddle, you could, but the wave energy is barely a whisper at 43 – it’s just not worth it. That afternoon turns into a messy cross-shore chop with a S breeze at 12 mph. Saturday and Sunday, the 1st and 2nd of August, are just as bleak—tiny, raggedy, and cross-shore all day. The swell is under 2ft and the period is short, like 4 to 8 seconds, so there’s no push.

There’s a tiny flicker of hope on Monday, August 3rd. The morning shows a bump to 4ft from the SSE with a clean cross-off wind from the SSW at 19 mph. The combined energy jumps to 128, which is at least moderate. The afternoon gets a bit bigger at 5ft, with a period of 8 seconds and clean conditions. That’s the best-looking window in the whole forecast. It’s not a stand-out epic, but it’s the closest thing to real surf. The 5ft afternoon will be a bit much for total beginners, but it’s solid for anyone with a bit of experience. The wind is clean, so the lines won’t be trashed.

After that, it’s back to the doldrums. Tuesday, August 4th, through the end of the first week is all small, under 4ft, and mostly cross-shore or choppy. There’s a brief glimpse on Thursday, August 6th morning, with a clean 3ft SSE swell and 131 energy, but the wave comment says “very ordinary conditions.” It’s surfable, but nothing to drive for.

The second week is a long, flat grind. From August 8th onward, the swell barely breaks 3ft, with periods all over the place and wind mostly ruining the surface. There’s a glassy window on the morning of August 11th with a tiny 2ft SE swell, but it’s too small to get excited about. The 12th has a morning offshore wind from the WNW, but again, it’s only 1ft. The energy is in the teens and twenties – really weak. For the rest of the run, it’s onshore, cross-on, and choppy. Honestly, this stretch looks more interesting for kite surfing than a paddle session.

So, the bottom line: the only real highlight is the afternoon of Monday, August 3rd, with a 5ft SSE swell, clean cross-off wind, and moderate energy. Get on it if you can. The rest of the 16 days are a write-off.

-Rusty

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