Drakes Estero Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's chew the fat on what Drakes Estero has in store for the next couple of weeks.

First up, the water temp is sitting at 57°, which is right where it should be for this time of year, so nothing unusual there.

Honestly, the first few days are a bit of a grind. From Thursday through Saturday, we've got a messy mix of NW winds and some funky swell directions. The swell energy is moderate, but the conditions are just poor. You’ll be dealing with cross-off breezes, and the wave quality is not there. It's a rough start.

Now, Sunday morning on the 2nd of August? That's when the switch flips. We’ve got a solid 10ft swell from the NW, with a period of 9 seconds, and the combined energy is a strong 2173. That's a lot of water moving around. The wind is a moderate cross-off from the NW, keeping things clean. But here’s the thing – that’s a lot of power for a spot like this. At over 8ft, this is strictly for the experts. If you’re a beginner, you’ll want to be watching from the beach for this one.

Monday the 3rd settles down a bit with a 7ft swell from the WNW, but the wind swings around to a light cross-onshore from the WSW, which will put a bit of a ripple on the face. The energy drops to a moderate 956. It's okay, but not the standout.

The real gem in this forecast, the one I’d be circling on the calendar, is Friday the 7th of August. The afternoon session sees a nice 5ft groundswell from the WNW with a period of 10 seconds, delivering a moderate energy of 697. The wind is a gentle cross-off from the W, keeping the waves clean. This is the kind of swell that's got good shape and enough punch to be fun without being a battle. It’s a proper surfable day for the average surfer.

After that, the following week looks pretty quiet. The swell drops right off, and we see a lot of onshore wind and poor conditions from the 9th through the 14th. There are a few moments in the second week with some light winds and clean conditions, like the morning of the 14th of August, but the swell is tiny, around 3ft. It’s a waiting game for the next proper pulse.

To sum it up: the first week is a wash until Sunday, but that Sunday is a big, powerful one for the pros only. The best bet for a good, clean session is the afternoon of Friday the 7th of August. After that, it’s flat and glassy, but empty.

Rusty.

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