Bolinas Jetty Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty, and I’m looking at the next 16 days for Bolinas. Let’s be straight with you—it’s a slow start and a long wait for the good stuff.

The first week is mostly a write-off for any proper waves. You’ll see some tiny swell, but it’s all short-period leftovers or weak energy, with messy cross-shore and cross-onshore winds. The water temp is about average for this time of year, nothing to write home about.

The first real window of opportunity, and the standout of the whole outlook, lands on Sunday, August 9th. The morning is where it’s at. We’ve got a clean 6ft swell from the WNW with a 10-second period, and the combined energy is solid (694). The wind is light and cross-offshore, meaning the face will be clean. This is the best on offer—a proper pulse of energy for a few hours. The afternoon stays clean but the wind picks up, so morning is the call.

After that, it’s a long, flat, and messy stretch. From Monday the 10th right through to the morning of Tuesday the 18th, there’s nothing worth paddling out for. The swell drops back to knee-waist high, the wind is mostly onshore or cross-onshore, and the energy is weak. It’s a real dry spell.

Then, Tuesday morning, August 18th gives us a little hope. It’s small, about 2ft from the SW, but with a long 14-second period and clean, cross-offshore winds. The energy is moderate (353) and it’s clean. It’s a small window for a log or a fun board.

The next glimmer, and the second real standout, is Thursday, August 20th. The morning has a clean 4ft swell from the WNW (389 energy), but it’s short period at 7 seconds. The afternoon, however, is the one to watch: a 5ft WNW swell, with a 12-second period, and a powerful 996 combined energy. The wind is moderate and cross-offshore, so it’ll be clean. This is a solid, punchy groundswell, but at 5ft and with that power, it’s getting into the zone for experienced surfers only. The longer period will make for better shaped waves, but at a beach/jetty setup like Bolinas, those long-period swells can break a bit straight.

Honestly, if you’re after a paddle, the Sunday the 9th morning is the one to circle. The Thursday the 20th afternoon is a close second, but it’s further out and the wind could be a factor. For the rest of the time, the setup looks more interesting for the kite crowd than for us prone paddle surfers.

Rusty.

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