Chadbourne Gulch Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what Chadbourne Gulch has on offer over the next couple of weeks. It’s a bit of a slow burner this time around, with nothing really jumping out at first.

We start off on Sunday the 23rd with a small pulse of NW swell coming in at 5ft, but the period is a short 7 seconds and the wind is a light cross-onshore. It’s a bit messy with small wind ripples, and the combined swell energy is only moderate at best (715). Not really worth paddling out for.

Monday the 24th sees the swell drop right off to a tiny 2ft. It’s a long period 18-second groundswell from the SW, which is nice in theory, but the size just isn’t there to do anything with it. The morning is cross-on and the afternoon goes offshore, but you’d be lucky to get a ride.

Tuesday and Wednesday are more of the same story: tiny, weak swell with persistent cross-onshore breezes. The combined energy is weak (between 340 and 479), and the forecast really isn't offering anything clean or rideable. This is a real flat spell.

Thursday the 27th afternoon brings a bump in height to 6ft, but it's a short-period 6 second windswell from the WNW and the wind is cross-on. It’s just not going to shape up.

Friday the 28th afternoon is worth a mention. A 8ft NW swell with an 8 second period rolls in, and the combined energy finally pushes into moderate territory (1171). Still, the wind stays light cross-on, so it’ll be lumpy. There's potential for some power, but the conditions aren't going to make it easy.

Now, the best window I can see falls on Saturday the 29th afternoon through to Sunday the 6th of September, but it comes with major caveats. On Saturday afternoon we see a 10ft NW swell with an 8 second period, and the combined energy jumps to strong (1453). But the report is clear: the swell is predicted to be too big for this break. This is expert-only territory, and with gentle cross-onshore winds, it’s going to be a washing machine.

After that, the forecast drops back into the marginal or poor category for days. You get a couple of pulse days in early September—Wednesday the 3rd afternoon has a 8ft NW swell at 8 seconds and combined energy of 1312, but again the wind is light cross-on.

The real standout, the one to circle on your calendar, is Sunday the 6th of September. It’s a week and a half away, so don’t hold your breath yet, but the afternoon session looks like the best bet of the entire outlook. We get a solid 8ft NW swell with a 9 second period, combined energy is strong (1298), and the wind goes glassy. That’s the magic word: glassy. It’s clean, it’s got power, and the report says it’s "excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers." Chadbourne Gulch is a beginner-friendly spot, so with 8ft waves you’ll want your wits about you. This is definitely for the experienced crew.

That Sunday morning on the 6th also looks good with 7ft NW swell and light offshore wind, but the afternoon glass-off is the real winner.

Overall, a lot of waiting for one golden window. Hang in there. Rusty.

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