Carola Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright crew, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you—this 16-day window for Carola is looking pretty flat. We’ve got a long stretch of nothing, so don’t get your hopes up.

For the first few days, from Sunday the 9th of August through the morning of Monday the 24th of August, the water temperature is sitting at 78°, which is a notable 8° warmer than usual for this time of year. That’s a very unusual anomaly, so the water will feel like a warm bath, but don’t get too excited—there’s barely any swell to enjoy it in.

The surf is essentially non-existent for the bulk of the period. Combined swell energy is reading zero or single-digit values for days on end, with the only tiny pulses of swell coming in at 0.7ft to 1ft from the N or NNE, with a short period of 8 seconds. That’s ankle-snappers at best, and the wind is a stubborn cross-off from the SSE, blowing at 9 to 19 mph, which isn’t helping anything. The wave comment repeatedly says "poor surf conditions," and that’s the reality.

The most promising blip, if you can call it that, happens on Wednesday the 19th of August. We see a brief uptick: the combined energy hits 35 (moderate) with a 1ft swell from the N and a period of 11 seconds. That’s the longest period we see, and it’s crossing into groundswell territory. This is a reef break, so that longer period could actually wrap in a little better here than at a beach, but it’s still tiny. The wind remains a cross-off from the SE at 12 mph, which keeps it clean but not offshore. For a skilled surfer on a log, you might get a couple of rideable, gutless waves. It’s not a standout—it’s just the least bad day on offer.

If you’re a beginner, the swell never gets above 1ft, so it’s never too big for you, but it’s also never really big enough to be fun. For experts, there’s nothing here that will get your heart pumping. Honestly, this setup looks more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer, given the persistent cross-off winds and lack of push. We’ve got a long, flat spell ahead, so it’s a good time to check the forecasts again in a few days—things can change, and it tends not to stay this quiet forever.

Rusty.

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