Hobe Sound/The Refuge Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, I’m Rusty, and I’m not gonna sugarcoat it. The next 16 days at Hobe Sound/The Refuge (beach and reef) are looking flat as a pancake. There’s a big dry spell from now until the start of August with nothing worth paddling for. The swell is tiny, the period is short, and the energy is weak. It’s a tough one.

Right now, on Wednesday the 22nd, we’ve got a tiny 2ft swell from the SE, but with a cross-on wind and a period of just 4 seconds, it’s choppy and messy – not a fun time. The water’s at 85°, which is about average for this time of year.

Moving through the end of July, the swell stays pathetic. Thursday morning the 23rd has a 2ft E swell, but it’s onshore, and the combined energy is a measly 11 – that’s weak. The wind flips around, but it’s always cross-on or onshore, keeping the surface lumpy. Friday and Saturday are more of the same – tiny 1ft to 1ft stuff from the ENE, periods around 8 seconds, but the wind is never clean. The energy hovers in the teens to low 30s – not enough to get excited about.

Here’s a small glimmer: Sunday morning the 26th, the wind goes cross-offshore from the WSW at 6 mph, and the surf stays clean, but we’re still looking at a 1ft ENE swell. It’s surfable for a log, but nothing to write home about. The energy is just 24. Monday the 27th morning has offshore wind from the W at 9 mph, making for clean conditions, but again, the swell is only 1ft with a period of 8 seconds. It’s a glassy surface, but the wave is barely there.

The rest of the week into August is a desert. The swell drops to 0.7ft or 0.3ft, with periods of 8 to 9 seconds. The energy crashes into single digits – 3, 4, 8, 10 – it’s a ghost town. Even when the wind is offshore or light, like on the 30th, 31st, and 1st of August, there’s just no height to work with. You’d be paddling for nothing.

Finally, on Sunday the 2nd of August afternoon, we get a tiny bump: a 2ft SE swell with a 4-second period, but it’s short period windswell. The wind is offshore from the WSW at 9 mph, so it’s clean, but the energy is only 22, and the period is terrible. It’s still marginal. Monday the 3rd has similar 2ft SE swell, again with offshore or light wind, but the energy is just 18. The best we can say is the conditions are clean, but the waves are small and weak.

The last few days, from the 4th to the 6th of August, show a slight uptick to 3ft on the 6th, but it’s from the ESE with a 4-second period and cross-on wind – not great. The energy is still only 27.

Honestly, there’s no standout session here. The best on offer is probably Sunday the 2nd or Monday the 3rd of August, with a clean 2ft windswell. It’s tiny, but if you’re on a longboard, you might get a few soft, mushy rides. The water’s warm, the wind is light, but don’t expect any power. For the rest, it’s a waiting game. This is a classic summer flat spell for Hobe Sound – it happens, and forecasts can change, but right now, it’s pretty grim.

Rusty.

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