Chadbourne Gulch Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Gonna level with you straight up about Chadbourne Gulch. The whole 16-day window is a bit of a mixed bag, and honestly, we're not looking at any true standouts that'll have you calling in sick. The water temp is sitting at 55°F, which is about average for this time of year, so nothing wild there.

The pattern starts this Friday, 10th July. We've got a 5ft swell from the NW, but the wind is a cross-on from the NW at 9 mph, so it's gonna be choppy. The energy is moderate (690). It's not great. This kinda sets the tone for the first week. Through Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, we see a bit of a drop in size, with the swell hanging around the 3ft to 6ft range, but that cross-on wind just keeps it messy. The afternoon of Sunday the 12th bumps up to 8ft, but the period is only 8 seconds, so it's a bit of a jumbled up, short-period closeout. The energy is moderate (907). It's not the one.

There's a slight improvement on Monday afternoon, 13th July, when the wind switches to onshore but very light at 3 mph. The swell is 6ft, and the energy is getting up there (967). Still, it's not exactly glassy.

The second week is where we see a change in the swell character. From Thursday, 16th July, the energy starts to climb significantly, hitting 1352 on the afternoon with a 8ft swell from the NW. That's strong energy. But the wind is still cross-on. Then on Friday, 17th July, we get a long-period groundswell, 18 seconds from the WNW, but it drops right down to 3ft. The energy is still high (941) for the size, which is weird. Those long-period waves (over 15 seconds) will be breaking straight and looking better for a point or reef, but at Chadbourne, which is more exposed, it might not shape up well. The 18th July morning has a 3ft swell from the WNW with a 16-second period and the energy is 1068, but again, it's small.

The one little glimmer, and I mean a glimmer, is the afternoon of Tuesday, 21st July. The wind goes glassy, dead calm. Swell is a tiny 3ft from the SSW, period 14 seconds. The energy is weak (479), but it will be clean. For a beginner, this would be the time to try and get a few gentle ones.

After that, we head into the final days. The 23rd and 24th of July have some big swell on the cards, with the 23rd afternoon hitting 10ft from the NW and the 24th afternoon also at 10ft. The energy is massive (1331 and 1251). But the notes say it's too big for this break, and with a period of just 8-9 seconds, that's a lot of closeout, heaving shorebreak. That's expert-only, and even then, it's a gamble.

The crowds are listed as "sometimes" at Chadbourne, so you might have company, but with the quality being so hit-and-miss, it's unlikely to be a zoo.

Best bet? Honestly, the glassy Tuesday afternoon, 21st, for the beginner crew, or the 18th July morning for the longer-period, cleaner but smaller waves. Nothing here is a "must-surf." The forecast can change, so keep an eye on it, but for now, take it easy.

Rusty.

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