Chadbourne Gulch Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer at Chadbourne Gulch over the next couple of weeks. Straight up, this is going to be a long, drawn-out run of so-so conditions for the most part. The water is sitting at 54° – pretty normal for this time of year, nothing wild there. The swell is mostly cross-onshore, and while there's plenty of wave energy coming in at times, the quality just isn't lining up. This is a beginner-friendly spot, so that's something to keep in mind – it's not the kind of place to charge big, raw power.

We kick off on Tuesday, 7th July, with a small 3ft SSW swell, period a juicy 19 seconds – that's proper groundswell. But the wind is cross-on from the WNW at 9 mph, and the wave comment tells us it's marginal. The combined energy is a whopping 1007, but it’s just not clean. Wednesday morning, 8th July, is much the same: 3ft SSW, 18 seconds, still cross-on. The energy drops to 897, so a bit weaker. The whole first week is plagued by that cross-onshore wind, even as the swell builds. On Thursday afternoon, 9th July, the swell jumps to 8ft from the NW, but the period drops to a short 8 seconds – that's windswell, choppy and weak for its size. The combined energy hits 1563, but the setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing, honestly. Saturday, 11th July, is a real low point – mixed up swells, short periods, messy.

Now, there is a light at the end of the tunnel, but it’s a long way off. From Sunday, 19th July morning, the wind finally starts to turn onshore from the west and even onshore from the WNW. We see 7ft from the NW with a period of 10 seconds, and the energy is 1324. The conditions are described as “unknown” but with “slight air” – we’re talking about very light wind, near glassy. That’s the kind of clean we’ve been waiting for. Monday, 20th July, is similar: 7ft NW at 10 seconds, light onshore breeze. The combined energy is 1314. That's the best of the run. But here’s the catch: by Tuesday, 21st July afternoon, the swell cranks to 10ft from the NW. For a beginner spot like this, that’s too big for most. Wednesday, 22nd July, is the same story – 10ft, onshore light winds, clean faces but only for experts. The combined energy on Wednesday morning is a massive 3552, which is very strong wave energy.

The standout window is really Sunday, 19th July through Monday, 20th July. That’s where you’ve got a clean, 7ft NW swell with a decent period and light winds. For a beginner spot that’s fairly consistent, this is your chance at some clean, ridable waves before it gets too big. If you’re an expert, keep an eye on Tuesday, 21st and Wednesday, 22nd July for some serious, clean power, but don’t take a beginner out then.

Rusty.

Read more