Gold Beach/South Park/Hunter Creek Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let me give you the same rundown in feet and miles per hour, because I know some of you think that way.

It’s a rough outlook for your local waters. Over the whole 16-day stretch, there’s no proper surf to get fired up about. It’s one of those long, quiet, windy runs where you might as well save your wax.

The only break in the game is Gold Beach/South Park/Hunter Creek, a beach and reef spot. Water temps are running about 53°F, which is roughly 5°F colder than normal for mid-August – you’ll want thermal boots and a hood. The big problem is the wind. It’s almost always from the NNW or NW, blowing cross-onshore or cross, keeping the surface messy and chopped up.

The first surf chance appears on Saturday, August 15th. We’re looking at a tiny 2 to 3 ft swell from the SW with a long period of 17-18 seconds, and 357 to 508 units of combined swell energy – that’s moderate wave energy, but the wave comment calls it “poor surf conditions.” Wind is 9 mph from the NW, still cross-onshore. Not exactly worth paddling out.

Sunday the 16th and Monday the 17th don’t get any better. The swell stays around 3 ft, but the wind kicks up to 12 mph from the NNW, cross-onshore, and the period drops to 14 seconds. Energy sits in the 330 to 388 range – moderate but messy. Choppy, lumpy – you get the picture.

Tuesday the 18th is more of the same: 2 ft swell, wind picking up to 19 mph cross-shore, with only 250-326 units of energy. It’s a write-off.

By the 19th and 20th, the swell direction shifts a little west, but the height stays stuck around 2 to 3 ft with an 11-15 second period. Wind is 9-15 mph cross-onshore. Energy nudges up to 366-437, but the comments still say “poor surf conditions.”

Now, Friday the 21st of August is the closest thing to a highlight. A morning session with light winds (6 mph from the WNW) blowing straight onshore, and a 2 ft SW swell at 14 seconds. The call is “marginal,” but the lack of cross-wind makes it the cleanest moment in the whole run. The afternoon goes back to cross-onshore. It’s the best we’ve got, which isn’t saying much.

After the 22nd, it goes downhill. A short-period NW swell (6-8 seconds) builds to 5 ft by the 23rd, but the wind screams from the NNW at 22-25 mph – that’s a fresh breeze making everything lumpy. The energy hits 455 and even 523 by the 30th, but with those strong cross winds and a period as short as 6 seconds, it’s more interesting for kite-surfers than paddle-surfers. The last days of August are all strong wind, lumpy cross-chop, and waves that are either too small or too blown out.

To be honest, there’s no standout session. The morning of the 21st is the only window with manageable wind and tiny waves. If you’ve got a longboard and low expectations, that’s your shot. Otherwise, it’s a 16-day wait for something that never really shows.

Hang in there, mate. It can’t stay flat forever.

Rusty

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