Fernandina Beach Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty, and I’ve got to be straight with you. We’re looking at a pretty grim stretch here at Fernandina Beach Pier. The combined swell energy is a pathetic 42 (weak) as we start the period on Monday, July 6th, with a tiny 4ft SE windswell bumping in at a short period of 4 seconds. The water is a fair 85°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year. The whole thing is a mess - onshore breeze, choppy, and generally poor surf. Honestly, the first real glimmer doesn’t show up until Friday morning, July 10th. The swell drops to 2ft from the SE, but we finally score a glassy wind out of the WNW at 6 mph. The wave energy is still weak at 55, but those clean, smooth conditions are a sweet relief. Don’t get too excited though—by the afternoon it’s back to a lumpy 3ft with a fresh cross-onshore wind.

Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th have clean mornings with a gentle offshore, but the swell is tiny—1ft to 2ft—and the energy is weak. Monday 13th July is the best bet of this whole period. We get a 2ft swell out of the ESE (9 seconds) with an offshore wind from the WNW at 9 mph, giving us clean lines. The swell energy bumps up to 51, and the tidy 9-second period gives the waves a bit more push. Still, it’s not big, but for a beach/pier setup, those offshore conditions will make the waves stand up nicely.

After that, it’s a long, flat, and useless stretch. From Tuesday 14th through to Sunday 19th, we’ve got waves barely breaking 2ft, with all the energy readings in the teens and twenties. The wind shifts around but stays mostly clean or cross-offshore, but there’s nothing to surf. Saturday 18th afternoon and Sunday 19th morning bring the swell energy back into the 60s, but it’s a weak, short-period SE windswell—4ft dropping to 3ft—with period at 5-6 seconds. The waves will be lumpy and lack any power. Monday 20th and Tuesday 21st are more of the same: messy, weak, and not worth paddling out for.

So, the standout? Monday 13th July morning. If you’re itching for a surf, that’s your window. Clean, offshore, with a 9-second groundswell pulse. It won’t be pumping, but it’ll be the best we get. For beginners, the biggest flush is 5ft on Sunday 19th afternoon, but that comes with a strong cross-off wind, so it’s not beginner-friendly. Honestly, for most of this run, the kites might be having more fun than us paddle surfers.

Rusty.

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