Bridges Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here again, same story, different numbers.

Let’s call it like it is: the next 16 days at Bridges are mostly a bust. The whole stretch is flat, with barely a ripple worth paddling for. The first faint glimmer of surf doesn’t arrive until the morning of Thursday, September 10th, and even then, it’s nothing to write home about.

From now through the end of August and into the first week of September, it’s a dead zone. Wave heights top out at about 2 feet, with periods that are short and weak. The combined wave energy is tiny – mostly under 100 (a laughable 61 or 62 at best early on, then dropping to single digits). There’s just no swell. The winds are light, sometimes glassy, but it doesn’t matter when there’s no wave to ride.

Then, on the morning of Thursday, September 10th, we get a north swell at about 2 feet, with a period of 10 seconds. The combined energy climbs to 121 (moderate), which is something. The water temp is about 85°, which is 2° warmer than the average for this time of year – a bit warmer than usual, but nothing crazy. The wind is glassy in the morning, with a light north breeze, so it’ll be clean. But the report says it’s only “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions” – low score. The swell is from the north, but Bridges needs a north-west swell for best shape, so it’s a bit off. The break is a sheltered point, which helps, but it’s inconsistent and rarely breaks. That means you’ll be waiting a long time between sets. It’s not a beginner day – the size is fine, but the infrequency is a buzzkill.

After that, the surf drops back to nothing. The next week is all tiny waves – 1 feet, 1 foot, 0.7 feet – with energy in the teens and single digits. Wind stays light, often cross-off or glassy, but there’s no push. The swell direction stays north or north-northeast, not right for the spot. On the afternoon of September 15th, the period hits 15 seconds, but the height is only 0.3 feet – a long-period groundswell with no size.

So, the best of a bad lot is the Thursday, September 10th morning at Bridges. It’s clean, glassy, and the swell is just big enough to ride, but the inconsistency and off-direction make it a gamble. If you’re a local who knows the wave, you might get a few. For everyone else, it’s a time to fix your gear and wait for better days. It’s a dry spell, but it won’t last forever.

Rusty

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