Higgins Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get this straight – the 16-day window for Higgins Beach is looking pretty flat and uninspiring, if I’m being honest. There’s a real gap of good surf here, especially for the first week and a half, with barely a ripple worth paddling for. The best of a bad bunch comes right at the very end, but we’ve got a long wait to get there.

Right now, starting Wednesday the 15th, we’ve got tiny little waves. Wednesday morning is a complete non-starter with 2ft south swell and a short 6-second period – combined energy is just 40, so there’s basically no push. Wind is offshore from the WNW at 12 mph, but the swell is too weak to care. Wednesday afternoon is even smaller, 1ft, with a bit more period at 9 seconds but still hopeless. The whole rest of the first week stays flat – Thursday the 16th through Saturday the 18th are all showing 0.3ft swell with no energy to speak of (combined energy in the teens). It’s basically a lake.

Into Sunday the 19th, we finally see a little lift, but it’s still poor. Morning gives us 2ft from the SSE with a short 5-second period, and the wind is light cross-shore from the ENE at 6 mph. The water temp is about average for the time of year, nothing special. The surf is just weak and messy. Monday the 20th is slightly bigger at 3ft to 4ft, but the period is still short (4-5 seconds), and the wind turns cross-onshore from the S and SSE, making it choppy. Not worth your time.

We finally get a taste of something on Tuesday the 21st. The afternoon shows 4ft from the south, with a 6-second period, combined energy of 199 – that’s moderate energy, so there’s some push. Wind is light from the north at 6 mph, giving a clean cross-offshore look. The guidance says “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions,” and I’d call it the only real window of the first week and a half. It’s small, but it’s the best you’ll get until much later.

After that, it’s back to tiny, poor surf from Wednesday the 22nd through to Sunday the 26th. On Sunday the 26th, we get another small bump – the afternoon shows 4ft southeast swell, 7-second period, combined energy of 99, so it’s on the edge of being surfable. Wind is light cross-offshore from the SW at 9 mph, keeping it clean. It’s nothing special, but it’s the second best day.

The real standout, if you can call it that, is Tuesday the 28th of July. The afternoon delivers 5ft from the SSE with a 7-second period, and the combined energy is 193 – that’s moderate energy, and the biggest swell of the whole run. The wind is moderate cross-onshore from the SSW at 12 mph, so it’ll be a bit lumpy, but this is the biggest, most energetic swell we’ve got. For an exposed beach break like Higgins, this is your best chance. The wave direction (SSE) is about as close as we get to the optimum SE direction, so it’s aligned okay. It’s still not great, but it’s the best on offer.

Honestly, for most of the next 16 days, the setup here looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing, especially with the onshore winds and small, weak swell. It’s a tough run for a consistent spot like this – just one of those periods where the ocean forgets to send us anything good. Keep an eye on the long-range, but I wouldn’t hold your breath.

Rusty.

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