Fairhaven Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for the next couple of weeks.

Straight up, I’ll be honest with you – this is a rough patch to start. The first real swell we’ve got is a big one, and Fairhaven is a beginner spot that rarely breaks, so it’s going to be way too much for the usual crew. The water is sitting at 57°F, which is pretty normal for this time of year, so nothing to worry about on that front.

From Wednesday morning, August 12th, we’re looking at a solid 12ft SW groundswell with a very long 16 second period. The combined energy is massive (10214), but the wind is a moderate cross-shore from the WSW at 12 mph. The swell is just too big for this break, and with the long period, it’s going to be a freight train. This is not a beginner’s day. The afternoon cleans up a bit with a cross-off breeze, but it’s pushing 13ft – still too much.

Thursday the 13th keeps the trend. A 16ft SW swell in the morning with 16 second period and 18571 energy – that’s just insane for Fairhaven. The wind is a gentle cross-shore, but this is expert-only territory. The afternoon drops to 12ft, but it’s still too big.

Friday the 14th, we’re still seeing 12ft SW swell. The morning has a light cross-shore breeze, but again, the size and the long period mean it’s not going to be a fun paddle for most. The afternoon gets a bit ugly with a moderate cross-onshore.

Saturday the 15th, the swell starts to drop, but it’s still 10ft in the morning. The wind is light and cross-on, but the conditions are marginal. The afternoon is a write-off with onshore wind and 8ft.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Sunday, August 16th, is the standout of this whole run. The morning is clean, with a light cross-off breeze from the east, and the swell has dropped to a much more manageable 7ft from the SW, with a 14 second period. The energy is still moderate (1779). This is excellent for experienced surfers. The wind is light, the waves have shape, and it’s time to go. The afternoon gets a bit of cross-on wind, but the morning is the window.

Monday the 17th, the swell is down to 6ft, but the wind is cross-shore and the energy is dropping. It’s marginal.

Tuesday the 18th is another good one. The morning has a gentle offshore breeze from the NNE, and the swell is 5ft from the SW with a 14 second period. Clean, lined up, and good for a paddle. The afternoon is a bit smaller at 5ft, but still very clean.

After that, the swell drops off significantly. Wednesday the 19th through to Friday the 21st sees tiny waves, around 3ft to 4ft, with clean offshore winds. It’s small, but if you’ve got a longboard, it’s a nice paddle.

Then we hit a rough patch. Saturday the 22nd and Sunday the 23rd are poor, with strong cross-onshore winds and choppy conditions. Not worth a look.

We get a little spike on Monday the 24th, with 8ft SW swell, but the wind is cross-shore and the period is only 11 seconds, so it’s messy.

The real kicker comes at the very end. Tuesday, August 25th, is the second standout. The morning sees a 12ft SW swell with a 13 second period, and a moderate offshore wind from the north. The energy is huge (4350), and it’s clean. The afternoon is even better, with a gentle offshore and a 15 second period, and 4843 energy. This is big, powerful, clean surf. It’s too big for beginners, but for the experienced crew, this is a dream. The caveat is that with that long period, it might be a bit straight at the beach, but the offshore wind will help.

The rest of the week drops back down, with some clean but smaller days, before a bit of a messy cross-onshore spell on the 27th.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a write-off for the most part due to the size. The only two real sessions to lock in are Sunday morning, August 16th and Tuesday, August 25th.

Rusty.

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