Depressions Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Alright, I’ll be straight with you: the next couple of weeks at Depressions are a real drag, mostly flat and frustrating. There’s a big gap of nothing worth paddling out for right off the bat, so don’t bother waxing up yet.

The first anything that isn’t total junk shows up on the morning of Saturday, August 15th. We’re looking at a tiny 2ft swell from the SSW with a long 16-second period – that’s proper groundswell, but the energy is just moderate (307). Wind is onshore from the SW at 6 mph, so it’s not clean. The report calls it “marginal,” and I’d agree. It’s a beginner-friendly spot, so if you’re learning and desperate, you might snag a few closeouts, but nothing to get stoked on. That trend of onshore wind and tiny, weak swell keeps going right through the end of the month.

Now, there’s a slight shift around Tuesday, August 18th. We get a bump in swell height, with the afternoon seeing 5ft from the WNW, but the period is short at 8 seconds – that’s windswell, all chop and no shape. The wind is onshore again at 6 mph. The combined energy sits at a moderate 386, but it’s still just “marginal.” This setup looks better for kite surfing than paddle surfing with that short-period, onshore mess.

Thursday, August 20th morning sees the swell drop right back to 2ft from the SSW, period back up to 14 seconds, and the wind finally goes light – 3 mph from the SW, making it glassy. That’s about as clean as it gets, but the swell is just too tiny to do anything with. The energy is moderate (307), but there’s no push.

After that, from August 21st right through to August 27th, we’re in a real drought. The swell barely breaks 2ft, the period swings around, and most of the time it’s onshore or cross-onshore. The whole stretch is flagged as “poor surf conditions.” The combined energy drops to two-digit numbers (88, 117) on the 22nd, which is as weak as it gets.

The one and only true standout? Honestly, there isn’t one. Nothing in this window deserves a full recommendation. The swell never gets over 5ft, the wind is a constant problem, and the consistency is “fairly consistent” for small, poor waves. If you absolutely have to get wet, the morning of Thursday, August 20th offers the glassiest conditions, but you’ll be scratching for 2ft dribblers. Otherwise, save your energy. Forecasts can change, but right now, it’s a bust.

Rusty.

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