O'Neills Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, let's talk about what's coming up for O'Neills Bay.

The next few weeks are a mixed bag, with a shaky start but a big, promising window opening up towards the end of the month. The water temp is sitting at 58°, which is pretty much what you'd expect for this time of year, nothing unusual there.

Our first real chance to get wet kicks off on Monday, July 20th. We've got a solid 6ft swell from the WSW, with a long 14-second period, and the combined energy is proper strong (1126). The wind is light and offshore from the NE, so expect those waves to be clean and well-shaped. This is about as good as it gets for a Monday morning. The afternoon holds up well too, with a 5ft SW swell and light offshore ENE wind. The wave energy is still full-on (997). This is the standout session of the whole outlook.

Tuesday morning, July 21st, still looks pretty good with a 4ft WSW swell, but the wind swings to a cross-offshore ESE. It'll be clean, but the energy is dropping (607). The afternoon turns into a write-off with a cross-on wind and poor conditions.

Then we hit a long, frustrating stretch. From Tuesday afternoon all the way through the end of July, the conditions are mostly blown out. We get onshore winds, cross-on winds, and a lot of rain. The swell sticks around, and by the 25th and 26th it's roaring—10ft to 13ft of WSW swell with massive energy readings (3825, 7606). That's expert territory, and with the wind being fresh and onshore, it's going to be a messy, dangerous mess. Not worth it for a paddle. This spot is a beach break, so with that much swell and strong wind, it’s looking more like a kite-surfing setup than anything else.

The first real glimmer of hope comes back on Thursday, July 30th. We have a 10ft SW swell with a very long 16-second period and a combined energy of 4388. The wind is a gentle cross-shore from the NNW, which is a huge positive. This is a big, powerful groundswell, and while the beach break might make it a bit straight, the clean conditions from the light wind could make for some epic, long-period walls. The afternoon is even better with the wind dropping to a light breeze, making it a "light cross-onshore," but still a massive 10ft, 16-second swell (4562 energy). This is the second standout, but it's still a big, powerful swell for this spot.

Friday, August 1st brings a return to cleaner conditions. The morning is a treat with a 4ft SW swell, a 14-second period, and a light, offshore breeze from the SE. The wind is clean, the energy is moderate (752), and the surf looks good. A great option for a Saturday morning session.

The week of August 4th is a monster. We're looking at a 16ft to 18ft swell from the WSW with a 15-second period. The combined energy is through the roof (11821, 14283). The wind is light and cross-shore, which is about as good as you can get for that size. But I have to be straight with you: this is way too big for O'Neills Bay. It's expert-only, and even then, it's a serious, life-threatening situation. The swell is just too much for this break. You'd be better off watching from the cliff.

So, to wrap it up: Monday, July 20th is your clear winner for clean, fun, manageable waves. Thursday, July 30th is the big, powerful standout for experienced surfers if the wind holds. The rest of the period is a waiting game, but the potential is there.

Rusty.

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