Boneyards Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. We’ve got a solid run of groundswell lining up for Boneyards over the next couple of weeks, but this is strictly for the crew who know what they’re doing. This is a heavy reef break and it’s only for advanced surfers.

The water temperature is 53°F, which is far colder than usual for this time of year, so don’t even think about going out without a proper hooded 5/4, booties, and gloves.

The surf kicks off this Sunday, August 16th, with clean 5ft SW groundswell and a 13-second period. The combined wave energy is moderate (987) and the wind is cross-offshore from the west, so although it’s not huge, the quality is there. This is more of a warm-up session. Monday morning, August 17th, brings a jump in size to 7ft from the SW, with a 14-second period. The energy bumps up to strong (2017) and the light cross-off wind keeps it clean. This is legit, but at 7ft it’s getting into expert territory.

Tuesday, August 18th, holds similar goods: morning waves at 7ft (1508 energy), and the afternoon builds to 8ft with a solid 13-second period and energy climbing to 2134. Still clean with light cross-off winds.

Now, the absolute standout of this whole window is Wednesday, August 19th, morning. We’ve got 8ft SW swell, a 13-second period, a massive energy reading of 2174, and the wind is glassy. That means no bumps on the face at all – it will be as perfect as Boneyards gets. This is the session to point your car at. The afternoon does get a moderate breeze, so the morning window is key.

Thursday, August 20th, morning holds 10ft SW with strong energy (2569) and light cross-off wind. The afternoon though, gets a cross-on wind and hits 12ft, which makes it more of a washing machine and too gnarly for most. Friday, August 21st, morning is another glass-off gem with 8ft SW and calm winds – autumn-like conditions and definitely worth a paddle.

Saturday, August 22nd, gets blown out by a near gale in the afternoon (31 mph), so the weekend takes a hit. Sunday, August 23rd, afternoon sees a massive jump to 13ft SSW with a 16-second period and energy skyrocketing to 8385. This is huge, heavy, and borderline scary. Only for the most experienced locals.

Monday, August 24th, morning is the real monster: 13ft SSW, 16-second period, glassy, with energy at 7830. This is an “exceptional for experts” call. That said, with that period, the sets will be widely spaced and it will be breaking straight on the reef – not a beachbreak, so it should hold shape, but it’s a serious paddle out. The following weeks have more solid SW swell in the 10-12ft range, with the next glassy window looking good on Monday, August 31st, morning with 12ft SW and calm winds (5115 energy). That’s a solid late-summer option, but still a long way out.

Crowds here are “sometimes” an issue, and with this quality of swell, expect a few locals out, but the difficulty keeps the crowds manageable. In the second week, conditions are more marginal with moderate to fresh winds, but the size stays up. For the second week, the 30th of August morning looks most promising with 12ft SW and a long 15-second period, but the wind is fresh.

For anything above 8ft, don’t even think about bringing a beginner. This is a reef, and it will punish mistakes.

Rusty.

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