Fairhaven Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, grab ya board and listen up. This is Rusty.

We’re looking at a run of solid, consistent swell heading into Fairhaven, and for a spot that "rarely breaks", that’s a bloody big deal. The water temp is sitting right on average at 57°F, nothing weird going on there. The first week has some real highlights, and even the second week is promising, though the waves get nasty big towards the end.

It kicks off Thursday afternoon the 30th of July. It’s not the best session to jump into – there’s an 8ft SW swell but it’s getting chopped up by a cross-on breeze, making it messy. The combined energy is strong (3443), but the quality just isn’t there for us.

Friday the 31st of July is where we start seeing some magic. Friday morning the wind swings around to a light cross-offshore, cleaning things right up. That 6ft SW swell is still there with moderate energy (903), and it’s looking clean. Friday afternoon is even better – it goes glassy. Absolutely dead calm. The swell holds at 6ft SW, energy bumps up a bit (990). That’s a special window for a spot that doesn’t fire often.

Now, the real standout of the whole forecast is Saturday the 1st of August. This is the one. Saturday morning we get a clean, light offshore breeze from the north, and a solid 6ft SW swell with a very long period of 17 seconds. That’s groundswell, and it will have proper energy (1843). Saturday afternoon is even better – the wind stays offshore and light, the swell builds to 8ft SW, period still 17 seconds, and the energy jumps to a strong 3028. For a break that’s rarely working, this is a full-on call to action. The long period will make the waves bend and wedge at this fairly exposed spot. It’s going to be clean, powerful, and likely crowded because it’s "sometimes" busy.

Sunday the 2nd of August keeps the goods coming. A moderate offshore breeze from the NNW (20 km/h) keeps the 7ft SW swell (16s period) clean on Sunday morning (2463 energy), and same again Sunday afternoon. Another excellent day.

After that, things get a bit more complicated. Monday the 3rd of August sees the swell get way too big for beginners. By Monday afternoon, it’s 12ft SW with massive energy (4249) and a cross-shore wind. That’s expert territory and even then it might be unruly. Tuesday the 4th has an 8ft SW swell in the morning with clean conditions, but it drops off quickly in the afternoon to poor, choppy surf. There’s a gap of ordinary surf mid-week.

Wednesday the 5th of August brings a nice return to form Wednesday morning. A 5ft SW swell with a 14-second period and a light cross-off breeze. Clean and fun for experienced surfers.

Thursday the 6th keeps a clean 5-6ft SW swell (16s period) going with a gentle offshore in the morning. Then Friday the 7th and Saturday the 8th are a mixed bag – some clean windows but with lighter swell.

Looking into the second week, keep an eye on Sunday the 9th of August. A strong offshore breeze (30 km/h) will groom a 6ft SW swell (17s period) into clean lines. Energy is high (2239). That’s a good Sunday.

But be careful – from Monday the 10th of August through Wednesday the 13th, the swell is a beast. Monday afternoon hits 12ft WSW, Wednesday the 11th has a 15ft SW swell with energy over 13,000. That’s full-on, and the notes say it’s too big for this break. Unless you’re a big-wave charger with a jet ski, stay out of the water.

Things settle back down on Thursday the 14th of August with a clean 7ft SW swell (10s period) in the morning, and Friday the 15th sees a nice 7ft SW swell with a long 18-second period, clean again. But that afternoon gets a bit messy.

Overall, Saturday the 1st of August is the absolute standout, with Friday the 31st July and Sunday the 2nd of August being excellent runners-up.

– Rusty.

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