Caves (Sandsend) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, grab a coffee and listen up. It's Rusty.

Honestly, looking at the next couple of weeks around Caves (Sandsend), it's a pretty tough run. The swell is just not playing ball for a while, and we've got a lot of days where the conditions are just too messy to get excited about. There's a big gap of no good surf to start, and then we see some pulses of energy, but it's mostly small and onshore until we get towards the back end of the forecast.

Alright, let's break it down. We kick off on Tuesday, 11th of August. Forget about it. We've got a small 3ft swell from the north, but a cross-shore wind and a combined swell energy of just 154 to 164 – that's weak to moderate energy, but the quality is poor. The water temp is 62°F, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, but you won't be feeling it in this slop.

Wednesday the 12th and Thursday the 13th are even worse. Swell drops to 1.0ft on Thursday morning with glassy conditions, but the energy is only 9. That's basically flat, not worth paddling out for.

Friday the 14th and Saturday the 15th see a little pulse of clean, small surf. We get some offshore and cross-off winds from the WNW and NW, and the swell hangs around 1ft to 2ft with a 10-second period. The energy is between 32 and 44. It's clean, but tiny. It's something for a longboard or a foiler, but not what I'd call a proper surf.

From Sunday the 16th through to Tuesday the 18th of August we get a bit more size, with the swell picking up to 3ft to 4ft from the NNE. But the wind swings around to the cross-on and onshore side, and the energy jumps to 140–142. It's going to be a lumpy, choppy mess, and with the period around 8 seconds, it's not going to have any real shape. Not recommended for paddling.

The Best on Offer: It takes a while, but the true standout is the final couple of days. Wednesday, 26th of August is the day to circle. The swell builds to 4ft from the north, and we get a fresh, clean cross-off wind from the NNW. The combined energy hits 197, which is the strongest we see in the whole window. That's moderate wave energy with proper push. It won't be huge, but it will be hollow and clean on the point. The period is 8 seconds, so it's a bit shorter period, but the clean conditions will make it fun.

The day before, Tuesday, 25th of August is also notable for the sheer strength of the wind. The swell is a bit smaller at 3ft, but the wind is a strong 25-28 mph offshore. The energy is 115. It will be clean, but paddling out in that wind is going to be a battle. The 26th is the better trade-off.

So, after a long, dry spell, the end of the week of the 25th and the 26th of August offer the only real chance for a decent session. It's not perfect, but it's the best we've got. Everything before that, you're better off staying on the beach.

Rusty.

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