Harbor Entrance at Eureka Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what the next couple of weeks are serving up for us.

Right off the bat, things are a bit messy. We’ve got a good pulse of northwest swell pushing in, but the wind is going to be working against us for most of the first few days. We’re looking at a lot of cross-on conditions, so the wave faces are going to be a little lumpy and not the cleanest we’ve ever seen.

The pick of the first few days is Tuesday morning, August 11th, down at the Harbor Entrance at Eureka. There’s a solid 8ft of northwest swell with 8-second period, and while the wind is light and on it looks like it might offer the best chance for a wave before the onshores get going. It’s a spot for advanced surfers and the energy is moderate at 825. It’s not going to be perfect, but it’s the best you’ll find for the start of the week. The wind is light, but it’s not offshore, so manage your expectations.

Wednesday and Thursday sees the swell stick around at a similar size, but the wind gets more cross-on and choppy, especially on Wednesday morning. The quality drops right off. The waves are going to be all over the place, so unless you’re desperate, it might be worth a miss.

We’ve got a bit of a lull after that. By Friday afternoon, the swell is dropping fast, and the weekend looks small and poor. The energy is weak, the swell is winding down to just over 3ft, and the waves are messy. It’s a blank stretch.

This run of poor surf looks set to continue for several days, through the weekend and into the start of next week. There’s just no energy in the water, and it’s not looking like much to get excited about.

A long-period swell does show up in the forecast for Wednesday, August 19th. It’s a 12-second period from the WNW, but the swell height is a tiny 3ft. The long period means the energy is there but it’s very inconsistent and the small size will make it hard to get any push. The cross-on breeze is going to keep it from being clean too. The energy is moderate at 472, but with such a small wave, it’s a tease.

This pattern of small, poor surf continues through the following weekend. It’s not until Monday, August 24th, that we see a real glimmer of hope. A new northwest swell builds in, showing 7ft on Monday morning with an 8-second period and a moderate 711 energy. The wind is light and on, which is a start. It’s not a huge swell, but is a sign of life. The afternoon is a bit worse with the cross-on wind adding some chop.

The following Tuesday morning still holds some of that swell at 5ft NW with a 507 energy. By the afternoon, there’s a shift, with a small 2ft swell from the southwest with a very long 17-second period. A very long period groundswell like that is something special, often better on points and reefs than our harbor mouth, but here, it’s small. The energy is moderate (517), but the swell is tiny. It’s a long way out, so I'd say it's promising but less certain.

Honestly, looking at the whole 16 days, there’s no real standout classic session. The best window might be those early mornings when the wind is lightest and the swell is a bit funkier. This is a stretch that really tests your patience. The conditions are pretty marginal at the Harbor Entrance at Eureka, and the predominantly cross-on winds aren't doing us any favors for clean, lined-up waves.

Stay patient, check the cams, and be ready to jump on those small windows of opportunity. This is Rusty, signing off.

Read more