Chadbourne Gulch Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what Chadbourne Gulch has in store for us over the next couple of weeks.

Honestly, it’s a bit of a frustrating outlook for this spot. We’ve got a lot of swell rolling in, but it’s mostly coming from the NW and the wind and size combo is going to keep things marginal for a real good paddle session.

The water temp is sitting at 56°F which is pretty standard for this time of year, nothing weird going on there.

The first week is a bit of a write-off. We kick off this Saturday, August 1st, but the wind is onshore and the swell is already bumpy, so it’s a no-go. Sunday and Monday, the swell gets proper chunky with combined energy readings up to 1994 and 1153, but the wind direction is just not playing ball – it’s cross-onshore or cross-off, which just messes up the face. Tuesday through Friday, the size drops a bit but it’s still that same messy wind and average energy (between 286 and 729). Not worth getting too excited about.

Now, if you look closely, there are two little windows that pop out. The first is Monday, August 3rd afternoon. The wind goes glassy from the WSW at just 3 mph. That’s clean, and we’ve got a solid 8ft NW swell running with moderate combined energy of 1028. The only catch? At that size, and given this spot rates as a beginner break, it’s going to be pushing it for the less experienced. The comment says it’s best for experienced surfers, and I’d agree. It’s a standout for the right crew.

The second standout is Saturday, August 8th afternoon. Another glassy session, this time with a bigger 10ft NW swell and energy at 1424. The winds are dead calm again. But mate, that’s a big wave for Chadbourne. The file is clear – it’s too big for this break. This is a pure expert session, and even then, that massive swell is going to be washing through.

Looking into the second week (August 9th onward), the pattern repeats. Sunday the 9th afternoon looks promising again with glassy conditions and a 10ft NW swell (energy 1669), but again, too big for this break. The rest of the week is just a slog of cross-onshore winds and marginal conditions. By Saturday the 15th and Sunday the 16th, the swell is still pumping (energy up to 2450) but the wind is messy.

Short story: For the average surfer, this 16-day window is a write-off. If you’re a solid experienced surfer who can handle a 8ft to 10ft wave in clean conditions, circle Monday afternoon, August 3rd. But honestly, for most of us, it’s a waiting game.

Rusty.

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