Depressions Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, and I’ve gotta be straight with you – the next couple of weeks at Depressions are looking pretty flat and quiet. Plenty of clean, light wind days, but the swell is just not showing up. It’s a real slow burn, and honestly, for the first week and a half, there’s hardly anything worth paddling out for.

We kick off Thursday, July 16th, with a tiny 3ft swell from the WNW, but it’s short-period at 8 seconds, and the combined energy is weak (310). The water’s sitting at 66°, which is a solid 4° warmer than usual for this time of year – that’s a notable anomaly, feels like a bit of a bath. The wind is light and offshore, which is a tease, because the waves are just too small and gutless. Friday the 17th through Monday the 20th is more of the same: tiny 1ft to 3ft swells, mostly from the WSW and SSW, with periods that jump around. The combined energy nudges up a bit on the 18th (384) and 19th (555), but it’s still moderate at best, and the wave comment is “marginal” or “poor.” The wind stays light and mostly offshore, so it’s glassy, but there’s nothing to ride.

Tuesday the 21st offers a slight bump to 4ft from the SSW at 13 seconds, with combined energy of 517 (moderate), but the wind is a light cross-onshore, putting small ripples on it. Still, it’s just barely surfable for a beginner. From Wednesday the 22nd into the 23rd, the swell stays around 2ft to 3ft, but the wind picks up to 9-12 mph on Wednesday, making it choppy and messy. The wave comment is “poor surf conditions” – avoid.

Now, here’s where it gets a little more interesting. Friday, July 24th, we see a long-period spike at 24 seconds (!) from the SSW, with a combined energy of 763 (strong). The swell height is only 2ft, but that’s a very long-period groundswell coming in. At Depressions, which is a fairly exposed beach break, that kind of long period can make the waves break too straight and dumpy, not ideal for a beach. The wind is light and offshore, so it’ll be clean, but the wave quality is still rated “marginal.” If you’re a beginner, it’s too weak and weird. For an expert, it might offer a few super clean, but very inconsistent, lines.

The weekend of July 26th and 27th sees a rise in combined energy, hitting 940 (very strong) on the 26th afternoon, with a 3ft S/SSW swell at 13 seconds. The wind is light and offshore again, so it’ll be glassy. This is probably the best you’ll see in the whole forecast – clean, small, but with good energy for the size. The consistency is “fairly consistent” here, so you’ll get a few waves. The crowds are “sometimes,” so you might have a few others out, but it won’t be a zoo. The swell direction (SSW) is close to the optimum (WSW), so it’s not a perfect match, but it’s workable.

The rest of the run into the end of July and early August keeps the same pattern: small 2ft to 3ft swells, moderate to strong energy, but always “marginal surf forecast.” The wind stays light and mostly offshore, so it’s clean, but there’s no real punch. Thursday, July 30th, the wind swings cross-shore, which is a bit of a pain.

The standout: If you’re desperate for a paddle, the period from Sunday, July 26th, through Tuesday, July 28th, offers the best combo of energy, clean offshore wind, and a bit of consistency. The swell is small, 2ft to 3ft, but the combined energy is strong (756 to 959). It’s an expert-level window because the swell is weak and the long period on some days makes it tricky. For a beginner, it’s too small and inconsistent. Honestly, it’s a very quiet stretch. The forecast can change, but for now, don’t get your hopes up.

Rusty.

Read more