Depressions Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, truth time. The surf over the next couple of weeks is looking flat, weak, and pretty damn disappointing. There’s just not much energy out there, and the wind isn’t doing us any favors either. It’s one of those stretches where you might be better off doing literally anything else.

The only spot that’s even in the conversation is Depressions. It’s a beginner-friendly wave that breaks fairly consistently, but that’s where the good news ends. The water is sitting at 70°F, which is a massive 7°F warmer than usual for this time of year—that’s a big deal. But it won’t help the waves.

Right now, and into the 16th and 17th of August, it’s just poor. There’s a weak 2ft SSW groundswell with a long 15-second period, but the wind is blowing right onshore. The energy is weak (237 and 232). You’ll be bobbing around on nothing. Don’t bother.

On the 18th, the swell becomes a jumbly 3ft from the WNW, but the period drops to a useless 7 seconds. That’s just wind chop. The 19th and 20th are marginal at best, with tiny 2ft to 2ft SSW swells and light onshore winds. The energy is weak (283 and 207). You might find ankle-biters, but it’s not worth the drive.

There’s a solid run of nothing from the 21st through the 24th. The swell stays under 2ft, and the wind is light but onshore. The energy readings are all in the low 100s and 200s, which says it all. On the 23rd, a longer-period SW swell (18-19 seconds) tries to push in, but it’s still only 1ft. That’s a lake, not an ocean.

Things get a little weird on the afternoon of the 25th. A WNW windswell bumps up to 4ft, but the period is a pitiful 5 seconds, and the wind is cross-onshore. It’s going to be a messy, blown-out mess. For a beach setup like Depressions, this looks a lot more interesting for the kite surfers than for us paddle surfers. The energy is still weak at 247. I’d give it a hard pass.

The last few days of August are more of the same: small, weak SW swells with periods between 14 and 17 seconds, but never any size. The energy is weak to moderate, peaking at 324 on the morning of the 29th, but with only 2ft on offer, it’s still not worth paddling out for. The 28th has a 2ft SSW bump, but it’s still poor.

Honestly, from the 21st right through to the end of the month, there isn’t a single day that gets me amped. It’s a long, flat, cruise-control stretch. The only silver lining is that Depressions is fairly consistent, so it doesn’t usually stay this bad for long—forecasts can change, and I’d be checking back in a few days.

Bottom line: leave the board in the car. There’s nothing worth your time. This is a real test of patience.

Rusty

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