Desperations Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it. The only real show in town for the next couple weeks is Desperations (reef break). It’s an exposed spot that handles a south-southwest swell best, and we’ve got a mix of clean windows and a few gnarly pulses to keep things interesting.

Right now the water temp is sitting at 78°, which is about average for this time of year—nothing wild, just the usual warm tropical feel.

We kick off on Tuesday August 11th with a beauty. Morning looks glassy, wind is barely a whisper from the east-southeast at 3 mph, and we’ve got a 2ft south-southwest groundswell humming along at an 18-second period. Combined wave energy is solid, hitting 574. It’s a long-period swell, so at a reef break like Desperations, expect clean lines and longer lulls between sets. Definitely the standout of the first week, maybe the whole run.

Wednesday August 12th is small and on the weaker side—about 2ft with a cross-shore breeze in the morning, but the afternoon cleans up with a north-northwest offshore at 6 mph. It’s surfable, but not the highlight.

Thursday August 13th is another good day: morning has 1ft with a 19-second period and glassy conditions by afternoon. Swell energy is moderate (219). Worth a paddle if you’re free.

Friday August 14th is average. The afternoon sees a 2ft south-southwest swell with a clean offshore from the north-northeast at 6 mph. Easy going.

Now Saturday August 15th is where it picks up. Morning is glassy with 2ft south-southwest swell, 18 seconds, and energy climbing to 555. Afternoon bumps to 3ft, still a clean 17-second period, and an offshore breeze from the northeast at 9 mph. This is the best session of the first full week—clean, consistent, proper reef waves.

Sunday August 16th holds that quality: 3ft south-southwest swell, 16 seconds, and offshore winds both morning and afternoon. Energy is over 500 both sessions. Super consistent run here.

Then Monday August 17th we get a bigger pulse—6ft south-southwest swell with a 17-second period. Wave energy jumps to 1587, which is serious power. But the wind is cross-offshore at 12–19 mph, and the forecast flags marginal conditions. This is expert territory: big, long-period groundswell, strong wind. For the average surfer, it might be a watch-from-shore day.

Tuesday August 18th stays solid at 5ft but the wind turns ugly—cross-shore shifts to a fresh cross-onshore by afternoon at 22 mph. Poor surf. Kite or windsurf looking more interesting here.

The rest of that week through Thursday August 20th morning is a wash with cross-shore winds and lumpy conditions. But Thursday afternoon flips: 6ft from the southeast, period dropping to 7 seconds, but glassy cross-offshore wind and clean faces. Energy is 904—moderate but punchy.

Friday August 21st and Saturday August 22nd bring back the quality. Friday morning has 5ft southerly swell, 11 seconds, clean. Friday afternoon goes glassy at 4ft. Saturday is even better: morning glassy with 2ft, 17-second south swell, then afternoon glassy again with 4ft, 14-second period. Proper weekend sessions.

After that, Sunday August 23rd still has clean 2ft waves but the size drops off. By Monday August 24th the wind swings onshore and we’re done—small, weak, messy for the final days of the window, with a big 6ft short-period windswell on Wednesday August 26th that’s just choppy and onshore.

Overall, the standout is Saturday August 15th and Sunday August 16th , plus the glassy windows on Friday August 21st and Saturday August 22nd. Crowds are only “sometimes” an issue here, so odds are you’ll have plenty of space if you time the tide right.

- Rusty

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