Ditch Plains Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's talk about what's on the table for the next couple of weeks.

First off, I gotta be straight with you—it’s a rough start. The early part of the window is looking pretty grim. Weak, short-period swells in the 2 to 3 feet range, mostly from the SE and ESE, with onshore cross-winds making everything a choppy mess. The water is a bit colder than normal for this time of year, running about 68°, so you’ll want a decent suit. The combined swell energy is weak, barely getting into double digits (72-87), and the wave comment doesn't mince words: "poor surf conditions." You’re not missing anything.

This stretch of poor conditions runs right through the first week, with only a couple of brief moments worth mentioning. Around Thursday the 30th, the wind swings to a cross-off from the NNE, cleaning things up, but the swell is still small and mixed. The combined energy bumps up into the moderate range (288), but the wave comment still says "poor surf conditions." That’s a classic case of a clean, empty ocean.

Then, heading into the weekend of August 1st, we get a glimmer. Saturday morning, August 1st, the wind drops to dead calm—glassy conditions at Ditch Plains with a clean 3 to 3 foot swell from the S. The combined energy is a weak 105, and the wave comment says "surfable waves but very ordinary conditions." It's not a standout, but it’s the first breathable moment in a long, flat spell.

The next week is more of the same struggle. Monday morning, August 3rd, offers another glassy window with similar small S swell (about 3 feet, combined energy 111), but again, it's ordinary. After that, the wind picks up again and the swell fades to tiny, inconsistent dribble. The combined energy drops into the 30s and 40s, which is barely moving the water.

The only real standout comes way out there, but it's a long-range hope. On Friday morning, August 7th, the wind swings offshore from the NNW at 15 mph, and the swell direction is from the ESE at about 2 feet with a period of 9 seconds. The combined energy is weak (41), but the wind state is "moderate offshore and clean." The wave comment is "surfable waves but very ordinary conditions." It’s not big, but it’s clean. That’s the best on offer in the whole 16-day window. The rest of the time is blown out, too small, or both.

Bottom line: there’s a lot of waiting. The weekend of August 1st and the morning of August 7th are your best bets for a paddle, but keep expectations low. A clean, small wave is better than no wave at all.

Rusty.

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