81st Street Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cooking in our corner of the world.

Straight up, I gotta be honest with you: for the next week or so, there’s almost nothing to get excited about. This is one of those stretches where the ocean seems to be having a nap. We’ve got a long, flat run ahead. The first hint of anything worthwhile is still over a week away, so if you’re itching for a wave, you might have to dig deep into the second week of the forecast.

First up, 81st Street. That’s the only spot on the menu, and it’s a tricky one. It’s a beginner break that’s inconsistent and rarely has much juice. For the first week, from Thursday the 27th of August right through to the morning of Monday the 7th of September, it’s just tiny dribble – we’re talking 0.7ft to 2ft of swell, with short period junk (5 to 9 seconds). The combined wave energy barely breaks 50 for most of that time (weak energy). The winds are all over the shop, but the quality is poor across the board. A couple of mornings, like Thursday the 3rd of September, offer glassy conditions with near 2ft swell and a bit of a wind shift, but the energy is still laughable (40). It’s surfable but very ordinary.

Then, on the afternoon of the 7th of September – that's a Monday – something shifts. We get a pulse of long-period groundswell from the ESE, 1ft at 15 seconds. The combined energy jumps to 103 (moderate). Sure, the wind is cross-onshore, which isn't ideal, but that kind of period is rare. A 15-second swell has proper energy, even if it’s small. For a spot like this, that period might make it break a bit too straight for a beach break setup, but the energy is real. The standouts? You’d have to wait for Tuesday the 8th of September. The morning at 81st Street looks like the best on offer. We’ve got 2ft at 13 seconds from the ESE, with a combined energy of 174 (moderate). The wind is a light cross-shore from the NNW – not perfectly offshore, but light enough to keep it clean. It’s not big, but for this zone, that’s a glimmer of hope. The afternoon gets messy with onshore wind. Keep an eye on Wednesday the 9th too – similar size and period (2ft, 12 seconds, 148 energy) but the wind is onshore or cross-onshore, so not as clean.

Given the break is a beach setup, the small size and short-period stuff earlier in the window is more suited to a longboard or a beginner. The longer-period, cleaner days around the 8th might offer the best shape. Crowds are listed as "sometimes" here, so when a clean day shows up, expect company. Water temp is around 79°F, which is normal for the time of year.

Overall, there’s no big swell coming. The best you’ll get is a couple of mornings in the second week with waist-high glassy conditions. Don't expect any barrels, but if you’re patient, that Tuesday the 8th is your best bet.

Stay patient, keep an eye on the horizon.

Rusty.

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