Chadbourne Gulch Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for Chadbourne Gulch.

Right off the bat, the first few days aren't really worth paddling out for. We’ve got tiny 1ft to 2ft of swell from the SSW with a very long period, but the energy is weak and the conditions are just marginal. It’s a pretty slow start, so don’t bother waxing up just yet.

Things start to get interesting from Saturday the 8th afternoon. The swell bumps up to 7ft from the NW, with a short period of 8 seconds. The combined energy jumps to a moderate 812, but it’s a cross-on wind and the quality is still just marginal. Sunday the 9th brings more of the same, with a bit more size and energy, but the wind stays cross-on and choppy.

Now, the standout window is Monday the 10th afternoon through to Tuesday the 11th afternoon. On Monday afternoon, we’re looking at 8ft of NW swell with a period of 9 seconds, and the combined energy hits a strong 2043. The wind goes light and offshore, cleaning it right up. Tuesday the 11th afternoon is the real gem though: 10ft of NW swell, period still 9 seconds, and the energy is a very strong 2237. The wind is glassy, dead offshore. This is big, powerful, clean surf. Now, that 10ft is over 8ft, so this is expert territory only. Beginners, stay on the beach. This is a point break setup, so that long-period groundswell will wrap in nicely, giving you proper shaped waves with long lulls between sets.

After that, Wednesday the 12th afternoon and Thursday the 13th afternoon clean up nicely again. We’re looking at 6ft and 5ft NW swell, with glassy conditions both afternoons. The energy is moderate, but the surf quality is very good. This is the sweet spot for intermediate surfers.

The second week sees the swell drop back down. From Friday the 14th onwards, we’re back to smaller SSW swells, mostly under 3ft, with light winds. The energy is moderate but the size is just too small for anything exciting. There’s a brief pulse of 5ft NW swell on Wednesday the 19th afternoon, but it’s cross-on and choppy.

So, the best on offer is without a doubt Tuesday the 11th afternoon for the experts, and Wednesday the 12th and Thursday the 13th afternoons for the rest of us. The water temp is 59°F, which is about normal for this time of year, so a good 4/3 wetsuit is the call.

Rusty.

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