81st Street Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Oi, Rusty here. Let's talk about what's on offer in the local area. We've got a long 16-day window ahead, but I gotta be straight with you—the next couple of weeks are looking pretty flat and challenging. The only spot with any real action on the cards is 81st Street, and even then, it's not going to set the world on fire.

First up, the overall pattern: For the next 7 days or so, we're looking at a real lull. Swell energy is weak, barely getting above the mid-40s (moderate energy) at best, with heaps of readings down in the teens and twenties. The wind and swell direction just aren't lining up for anything decent at 81st Street. There's a gap with no real surf recommendations for the first few days, but we'll work through what we've got.

Looking at the specifics:

For the morning of July 2nd, a small 2ft swell from the SE (42 combined energy - weak) is there, but a light cross-offshore wind from the SW makes it barely surfable. It's just ordinary. A tiny window might open up on the morning of July 8th with a similar 2ft swell (45 combined energy - weak) and a clean offshore wind from the W. Still, it's not a standout.

The first real bump in energy comes on the morning of July 11th. We've got a 3ft swell from the SSE (73 combined energy - weak), and this one comes with a fresh offshore wind from the W, 30 km/h, which will be clean. It's the closest thing we have to a "best on offer" this week, but the swell height is small and the period is short, 8 seconds. This is more of a fun-sized ride for a log or a foamie, but it's about the best we'll see for a while.

However, the afternoon of July 17th is the true standout, but we're talking 16 days out so it's a long-range promise, not a guarantee. For the Friday afternoon of July 17th, there's a 4ft swell from the SSE (114 combined energy - moderate), a step up in size and energy. The wind goes glassy from the W at 5 km/h. This is the only decent surfable wave in the whole outlook. The water temperature is 75°F, which is about average for the time of year.

Remember, the swell period is short at 7 seconds, so it won't have that long-period grunt. At 81st Street, it's an exposed spot, but it's also inconsistent. You'll want to sit and wait. Also, the spot can get crowded sometimes. Given the small, short-period swell and the beach setup, if this swell pops, it's a beginner-friendly size (under 5ft) with glassy conditions, making it a rare good moment.

So, the call is: wait out the long, flat days. The morning of July 11th with an offshore wind is your only real chance in the first week. The Friday afternoon of July 17th is the one to circle on the calendar, but treat it as a promising tip from a mate, not a dead cert. You can expect a long break of nothing much before that.

Rusty.

Read more