Cardiff Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s comin’ down the line for the next couple of weeks.

First off, I gotta be straight with you: this is a tough outlook. We’ve got a solid run of small, weak swell and mostly onshore or cross-onshore winds. The water temp is sitting at a balmy 77°F which is much warmer than normal for this time of year, so that’s one nice thing if you’re just floating around.

For the first week, starting Wednesday, August 5th through to about Tuesday, August 11th, it’s a real struggle. The swell is tiny, mostly 2 ft to 2 ft out of the SW to SSW, with the combined energy sometimes in the low 100s (168) but mostly bouncing between 300 and 400 (332, 364). The period is mostly short to moderate, 13 to 14 seconds, though there’s a spike of 20 seconds on Monday the 10th which is a long period groundswell, but with only 2 ft it’s barely a ripple. The wind is onshore or cross-onshore from the W or SW, ranging from 6 to 9 mph, so it’s choppy and messy. The conditions are repeatedly described as poor, and the scores are a flat zero. There’s a couple of days – Friday the 7th and Tuesday the 11th – where the forecast calls it “marginal,” but with that wind, it’s still not worth paddling out. You’d be better off with a kite.

Then from the 12th to the 15th, the swell starts to bump up a little. By Friday morning, August 14th, we’re seeing 3 ft to 3 ft from the SSW with a period of 18 seconds (groundswell), and the combined energy is climbing – 599 and 722. That’s still moderate energy, but the period is long. The wind is still onshore from the W or WSW at 9 mph. Saturday the 15th peaks at 3 ft to 4 ft, 16 seconds, and energy hits 805 – solid moderate energy. But again, the wind is onshore. The forecast still calls it “marginal” or “poor.” This is a real kick in the teeth, because the swell is actually there, but the wind is just ruining it.

The standouts in this whole 16-day window, if you can call them that, are the mornings of Friday, August 14th and Saturday, August 15th. For Cardiff Reef (just “Cardiff Reef,” no special region label needed), we’re looking at a 3 ft to 3 ft SSW groundswell with a period of 16 to 18 seconds. The energy is a respectable 599 to 640. The wind is onshore from the W at 9 mph, which isn’t glassy, but it’s better than cross-onshore. The wave comment is “marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions.” This is a reef break, so it handles long period swell better than a beach break, but it’s inconsistent. The crowds are listed as “sometimes,” so you might have a few others out. The optimum swell direction for this spot is WNW, and we’re getting SSW, so it’s not the best angle. Honestly, it’s the best of a bad bunch.

Beyond that, the second week (August 16th to 20th) sees the swell drop back down to 2 ft to 3 ft, with the same onshore wind story. The energy stays in the 300s to 400s (438, 463). There’s nothing to get excited about. It’s a long, flat, and choppy run.

Look, the outlook is grim. There’s a long gap of almost no quality surf until about the 14th, and even then it’s only marginal. We’ve got a consistent break here, but the conditions just aren’t cooperating. Forecasts can change, but right now, I’d be hanging up the wettie for a bit. That’s all I got.

Rusty.

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