Desperations Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s happening at Desperations.

Honestly, the first few days are a total bust. From Sunday through Tuesday, we’ve got some decent swell building, with wave heights from 3ft to over 7ft, but the wind is a nightmare. It’s blowing cross-on or onshore from the south and southeast, gusting from 12 to 22 mph. That’s making the surface choppy, lumpy, and just plain ugly. The combined swell energy is in the hundreds to low thousands (424 to 2435), but without clean conditions, it’s a waste of time.

The first real window opens up on Wednesday, August 5th. The morning is still a bit cross-shore with a breeze from the ESE at 12 mph and a cross-chop, so it’s marginal. But the afternoon... that’s the jewel. The wind goes absolutely glassy – dead calm. The swell is a solid 4ft from the SSW, and with a very long period of 17 seconds, this is proper groundswell. The combined energy is strong (1464), and for a reef break that faces the SSW, that’s it’s sweet spot. This is the standout. It’s clean, it’s powerful, and the sets will be lined up. This is "excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers" – meaning it’s not for the faint of heart. A 4ft reef wave with that period will be a serious, powerful wave. It’s a fairly consistent break, so you’ll get waves, and that long period will make it bend perfectly around the reef. Just keep in mind, crowds are possible here.

The next bright spot is Friday, August 7th. The morning is still a bit messy with a cross-offshore wind, but the afternoon glass-off is the main event. The wind swings to the NE at a glassy 3 mph, and the swell is 5ft from the SSE, with a period of 13 seconds. The combined energy is very strong (1304), and it’s clean. Another one for the experienced crew, but a beautiful window.

After that, things get a bit more hit-and-miss. Sunday, August 9th, the morning shows some promise with 3ft of swell from the SSE, a very long period of 19 seconds, and a clean cross-offshore breeze from the ENE at 6 mph. The combined energy is moderate (691), and it’s described as "expect very good surf conditions". This is a small-wave groundswell day – perfect for a longboard or a fish, but the sets will be spaced out with that long period. It’s a clean, fun option, but not a powerhouse.

From the 10th of August onward, it’s a tough stretch. The wind is consistently onshore or cross-on from the southeast, and the swell drops off. You’re looking at a long run of poor surf conditions, with wave heights mostly under 4ft and weak to moderate combined swell energy (mostly under 700). The 18th of August shows a pulse of 3ft from the SSW with a very long period of 20 seconds, but the wind is a fresh cross-shore from the SE at 22 mph, so it’ll be lumpy and messy. Not worth paddling for.

So, the bottom line: Your best bet is Wednesday, August 5th in the afternoon. That’s the one. The glass-off and the solid groundswell from the SSW (the direction this spot loves) is your winning ticket. Friday afternoon is also a solid, clean session. The rest of the forecast is mostly a waiting game, with a lot of onshore slop. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so your usual wetsuit will do.

Stay stoked, and I’ll see you in the lineup.

Rusty

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