Eastbourne Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you – this is a tough one for Eastbourne. The whole 16-day window is basically a flat spell with a few barely-there bumps that don’t add up to anything worth paddling out for. We’ve got a long stretch of nothing, and the only real action is a handful of tiny, weak pulses that never get the right wind or size to make them work. Nothing here is a standout, so let’s walk through the quiet period.

The forecast starts on Friday, July 24th, with a tiny 0.3ft swell from the west, but it’s got a short 8-second period and the combined energy is just 1 – whisper quiet. The wind is cross-offshore, so the water’s clean, but there’s no power to push a surfboard. The water temperature is sitting at 69°, which is a whopping 8° warmer than normal for this time of year – that’s very unusual, like stepping into a bath. This flukey little bump fades out fast, and from Saturday, July 25th, we go into a total flat spell. Saturday, Sunday, and Monday all show zeros for swell height and energy – just dead calm, except for Sunday morning which has some rain showers to keep things gloomy.

We finally see a tiny tickle on Monday, July 27th, with a 2ft swell from the WSW, but the period is only 6 seconds – that’s just wind slop. The combined energy is 18 (weak), and it’s a one-off morning blip; by afternoon it’s gone again. The winds are still cross-off, so it’s clean, but there’s nothing to push a wave. After that, Tuesday July 28th brings a 0.7ft swell from the west with a 6-second period, but the wind swings to a light cross-onshore, so the surface gets a bit rippled. Energy is only 5 – not worth a second look.

Wednesday, July 29th, offers a brief moment of hope: a 0.3ft west swell with an 8-second period, and the wind goes light offshore from the northwest, so it’s glassy. But the energy is just 1, and the swell is so small it’s basically a lake. The water is still that warm anomaly, but you can’t catch a wave. That’s the last of any real swell for a long stretch. From Thursday, July 30th, through to the end of the period on August 8th, the swell heights stay below 2ft, periods are short, and the combined energy rarely breaks 60. The best we see is a 2ft west-southwest swell on August 7th afternoon with an 8-second period and energy of 60 (still weak), but it’s accompanied by a fresh cross-shore wind and a risk of thunderstorms – messy and lumpy.

Eastbourne is a sheltered, beginner-friendly spot, and it’s rated as inconsistent. Honestly, this blank run is pretty normal for the area when conditions don’t line up. There’s just no rideable swell in the forecast. If you’re desperate for a paddle, you might find some clean water on the offshore wind days, but you’ll be bobbing, not surfing. The setup is more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing on those gusty afternoons. For now, leave the boards in the car and check back – forecasts can change.

Rusty.

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