Depressions Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for this stretch.

Honestly, it’s a pretty quiet run at Depressions for the next couple of weeks. The water is sitting at 69°F which is much warmer than normal for this time of year, so that’s a nice bonus if you’re just having a paddle, but the surf itself? It’s mostly small, messy, and onshore. We’re looking at a long stretch of nothing special, but there’s a sliver of hope late in the game.

The first hint of anything rideable creeps in on Thursday morning, July 23rd, but it’s a bit of a letdown. The swell is a tiny 2ft from the SSE with a long 13-second period, but it’s hitting under a cross-onshore 6 mph wind from the WSW. The combined energy is weak (349), and the conditions are poor. That afternoon gets worse – the swell jumps to 6ft but it’s a short-period 6-second wind swell from the WNW, with a 9 mph cross-onshore breeze making it choppy and ugly. Not worth a paddle.

Friday July 24th through to the end of July are all marginal at best. Swells hang around the 1ft to 3ft mark, mostly from the SSW or SW, with periods anywhere from 16 to 24 seconds. That long period (groundswell) is promising for a point break, but these are tiny waves, and the wind is mostly onshore or light cross-onshore. The energy is moderate (usually between 440 and 758), but with the onshore flow, it’s just not clean. The conditions are described as poor or marginal, so don’t get your hopes up.

The end of the first week and start of August sees a slight rise. On Friday August 1st morning, we’ve got 3ft from the SSE at 13 seconds, with a light cross-onshore breeze from the S at 3 mph. The energy is moderate (660), but it’s still a marginal call. The afternoon gets choppy again with a 9 mph cross-onshore. Saturday August 2nd is similar – 3ft from the SSE in the morning, but it’s looking marginal.

The real standout, and honestly the only one worth highlighting, comes on Sunday August 2nd afternoon. We’ve got a 5ft swell from the WNW, but it’s a short-period 6-second wind swell, and the wind is a light cross-onshore from the S at 6 mph. The energy is moderate (281). It’s not perfect, but it’s the biggest wave of the whole forecast, and the light wind could keep it from being a total mess. It’s still marginal, but it’s the best of a quiet bunch. For beginners, that 5ft is a bit of a push, but for the average surfer, it’s doable.

After that, it drops right off. From August 3rd to the 7th, we’re back to tiny, poor waves – 1ft to 3ft, mostly short period, with onshore or cross-onshore winds. The energy drops to weak (as low as 75 on August 4th morning). It’s a real flat spell to end the run.

So, to put it straight: the best bet is the afternoon of Sunday August 2nd at Depressions. It’s not a classic, but it’s the biggest swell of the window with a light wind. The rest of the 16 days is mostly a write-off. Keep an eye on the forecasts, because this area can turn around, but right now, it’s a waiting game.

Rusty.

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