8th Street Jetty Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s break it down for 8th Street Jetty. It’s a tough one – the entire 16-day stretch is pretty much a bust for decent paddle surfing. There’s a long dry spell right from the start, with flat and messy conditions taking up the first week and well into the second.

Kicking off on Saturday the 8th, it’s tiny and choppy. A 1ft SE swell with a weak 9-second period, and cross-shore winds at 12 mph just mess it up. The combined energy is a pathetic 48 – that’s barely a ripple. Water temp is 77°, a little warmer than usual for this time of year, but that’s the only thing going for it. Sunday the 9th and Monday the 10th are even worse – 1.0ft and 0.3ft of swell. The wind cleans up on Sunday morning with a light cross-offshore breeze, but there’s nothing to ride.

The middle of the week from Tuesday the 11th to Friday the 14th stays flat. We get some clean conditions with offshore and glassy winds, including a glassy morning on the 11th, but the swell is basically non-existent at 0.3ft. There’s a solid 5+ day gap here with zero surf on offer.

Heading into the weekend of the 16th, still nothing. A glassy morning on Sunday the 16th with 0.3ft of swell – you could float around, but you’re not catching a wave. The energy is down to 3 (combined energy). That’s as weak as it gets.

Things finally get a pulse around Wednesday the 19th of August. The morning sees a 3ft S swell with a short 4-second period, and glassy conditions. The afternoon picks up a bit more size to 5ft from the S, with a 6-second period, and again glassy wind. The combined energy jumps to 203 (moderate wave energy). This is the one standout in the whole window. It’s still not great – short period means the waves will be a bit crumbly – but it’s the only time you’ll get something rideable. The water temp data isn’t available for that session, but given the anomaly earlier, it’ll likely still be a touch warmer than average.

After that, it dies right back down. The 20th through the 23rd are back to tiny 1ft to 2ft SE swells, and while the winds are mostly clean or offshore, the energy is weak (44 to 48 combined energy). It’s just not enough to get excited about.

So, if you’re desperate for a paddle, the afternoon of Wednesday the 19th is your best and only shot. It’s not a classic, but it’s the only window with a bit of push and clean glass. For the rest – honestly, it’s more of a kite-surfing setup around here with the consistent cross-shore winds and small, weak swell. Don’t hold your breath.

Rusty.

Read more