Harbor Entrance at Eureka Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer for Harbor Entrance at Eureka over the next couple of weeks. I gotta be straight with you – it’s a pretty grim outlook overall. The water is sitting at a chilly 53°F, a solid 3°F colder than what’s normal for this time of year, so you’ll want a thick wetsuit.

The first week is a real write-off for good surf. We see waves from Thursday the 2nd through to the 12th of July, but the wind is almost always a cross-onshore breeze at 9 mph, so it’s choppy and messy. The swell is coming from the NNW and NW, with heights between 5 ft and 7 ft, but with a short period of just 7 or 8 seconds, the shape is lacking. The combined swell energy sits in the moderate range (345 to 837), but the wave comments all say the same thing: marginal or poor. Don’t waste your time.

We get a brief spike on the 9th of July afternoon, with swell hitting 10 ft and a combined energy of 1179 (strong wave energy), but that 12 mph cross-onshore wind and that 8-second period mean it’s just a big, lumpy mess only for experienced surfers. Even then, it’s not clean.

There’s a gap of practically no surf from the 12th of July afternoon through the 14th, with tiny, weak waves of 2–2 ft.

The only two sessions that even get a whiff of a recommendation are the 15th and 17th of July mornings and afternoons. On Wednesday the 15th, we’ve got a very long-period groundswell from the WNW, a period of 19 seconds, but the height is a tiny 2 ft. The combined energy is moderate (557–646), and the wind is a light breeze at 6 mph – nearly glassy. That long period means the small energy will be super clean and organized, but you’ll be fighting for any rideable wave. The 17th of July (Friday) is similar, with 3 ft from the WNW and a 16-second period, light wind, and a combined energy of 902. This is technically the best on offer, but it’s an expert-only game on a tiny, clean, long-period wave at a harbor mouth. You’ll need patience.

If I had to pick a standout, it’s Friday the 17th of July. The light, offshore-style wind and that long-period groundswell will make for the cleanest surface you’ll see all forecast, even if the waves are small.

Rusty.

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