Chadbourne Gulch Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s coming down the pipe for this stretch of coast.

Straight up, this forecast for Chadbourne Gulch is a bit of a slow burn. There’s nothing really on the table for the next several days that gets the heart racing. The first few days are mostly a wash – small, weak waves with a lot of cross-onshore breeze making things messy. The water temp is sitting at 53°, which is a bit colder than you’d normally expect for this time of year, so you’ll want a thick suit.

We’re waiting until Tuesday morning, July 7th, for something to actually get going, but even then it’s still not clean. The swell bumps up a touch at 5ft from the NW with a short 8-second period, but the wind stays cross-on, so expect textured faces. That same day, the combined energy jumps to (1724) – that’s a strong push of water, but it’s wasted with the wind angle.

The real standout, the one you want to circle on your calendar, is Wednesday morning, July 15th. The forecast shows the stars nearly aligning. We’ll have decent 7ft swell from the NW, and the key detail is the wind turns glassy – light and variable from the WSW, which is basically offshore for this setup. The water will have clean lines, perfect for a morning session. The combined energy is strong at (1267), and with that period around 9 seconds, you get some push without being too unruly. The afternoon stays glassy too, with a solid 8ft swell from the NW. This is powerful stuff – over 8ft is expert territory, so only the experienced crew should be paddling out. It’s going to be the best bet across the whole 16-day run.

Thursday, July 16th afternoon, also packs a punch with a big 8ft NW swell and an even higher combined energy of (2593), but the wind turns onshore, which will mess with the shape. A lot of raw power, but not the same quality as the Wednesday window.

Towards the back half of the second week, from around July 17th onward, the swell sticks around but it’s smaller and more inconsistent. The energy is there, but the conditions are mostly cross-onshore, so it’s a waiting game. Nothing too exciting to report.

Wrap up: If you’ve got one day to pick, make it Wednesday, July 15th. The glassy morning session is where it’s at. For the rest, you’re mostly looking at workable but not amazing surf.

Rusty, out.

Read more