Caves (Sandsend) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty, and I’m looking at the next 16 days for Caves (Sandsend). Honestly, it’s a pretty quiet stretch overall, with a lot of flat spells and poor conditions, but there is a late-breaking window of quality that’s worth getting excited about.

Right off the bat, the first week is a real struggle. We’ve got a tiny, weak north swell hanging around, but the wave heights are barely a wobble – mostly 1ft to 2ft – with a short, weak period. The combined wave energy is laughably low, rarely hitting even 100. It’s just not doing anything for us. The winds are a mixed bag, with some glassy moments on Thursday afternoon and Saturday afternoon, but the swell is so small it’s not worth paddling out for. The water temperature is sitting at 62°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, but that’s about the only thing of note.

We’ll see a bump in surf size on the 4th of August, with swell jumping to 6ft to 6ft, but it’s coming from the east-northeast with a short period of 7 seconds. The wind is onshore and choppy, so it’s messy and not a good option for paddle surfing – honestly, that setup looks more interesting for kite surfing. The combined energy climbs to 340-378, showing there’s some power, but the quality is absolutely shot.

The next few days are more of the same, with small, weak swell and crummy wind. The morning of the 8th of August finally gives us a bit of relief – 4ft swell from the east-northeast, clean with a light cross-offshore breeze. The combined energy is 106, so it’s surfable, but very ordinary. It’s the best we’ve seen, but it’s not a standout.

The real highlight, and the only true standout in this whole forecast, is the 12th and 13th of August. The 12th sees a solid 6ft swell from the north with a 6-7 second period, and the wind is a fresh offshore breeze from the west-southwest, keeping it clean. The combined energy jumps to 297, which is a solid, punchy wave. But the best is the 13th of August. Swell bumps up to 8ft from the north, period is 8 seconds, and the wind is a gentle offshore from the north-northwest. The combined energy is a massive 727, and on the afternoon it hits 951. That’s serious power. This is a notch above the rest, but it’s worth noting that with a north swell this size, Caves is a point break, and it should handle it well. However, at 8ft, this is for experienced surfers only – it’s too big for beginners. It’s a promising late window, but we’re 13 days out, so keep an eye on the forecasts.

The 14th drops back down to 3ft and glassy conditions, but it’s a comedown after the excitement.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a write-off. There’s a long gap of poor to non-existent surf. The 8th offers a very ordinary, surfable wave. The 13th of August is the one to circle – it’s the standout, with a decent north swell and clean offshore wind. The crowd at Caves is listed as “sometimes,” so expect a few others in the water, but it’s worth the effort.

Rusty.

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