Holden Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Gather 'round, crew. Rusty here, and I’ve gotta level with you – the next couple of weeks at Holden Beach are looking pretty bleak. We’ve got a long stretch of flat, small, and generally messy conditions ahead. The swell is tiny, the wind is mostly onshore or cross-shore, and the wave energy is basically non-existent. This is one of those periods where the ocean just isn't cooperating for paddle surfing. For the first week, from Thursday 27 August right through to Friday 4 September, it's a write-off – tiny 1ft to 2ft swell, mostly from the SE, with short periods around 8-9 seconds. The combined energy barely cracks 30 (28 to 36), so you’re looking at weak, weak waves. Wind is almost always cross-onshore or onshore, with a few glassy mornings on Sunday 30 August and Monday 31 August, but even then the swell is just too small to bother. It’s poor surf conditions across the board.

There’s a slight bump on Wednesday 2 September – the swell nudges up to 2ft from the SE with a period of 11 seconds (that’s a proper groundswell, but tiny), and the energy climbs to 77 in the morning. Still, the wind is cross-onshore, so it’s choppy. Not worth the drive.

The second week doesn’t offer much hope either. From Saturday 5 September through to Friday 11 September, the swell direction shifts around to SW and then E, but heights stay mostly 1ft to 3ft, with periods dropping to 4-6 seconds – that’s pure windswell, weak and gutless. The energy values are mostly in the 20s and 30s, with a brief spike to 48 on Sunday morning 6 September (3ft, SW, 5 seconds). Wind stays moderate, with some cross-offshore mornings on Monday 7 and Tuesday 8 September, but the waves are just too small and weak.

Honestly, there isn't a single standout session in this whole 16-day outlook. For a break like Holden Beach – an exposed beach break – you need a solid swell and clean wind, and we’re getting neither. The water temp is about 84°F, which is pretty normal for late August, but you won’t be needing your wettie for the surf – you’ll be sitting on the sand. If you’re desperate for a paddle, the only remotely clean windows are the glassy mornings on Sunday 30 and Monday 31 August, but with 1ft of SE swell and 8-second period, you’ll be scratching for ankle-biters. The swell is just too small for anything fun. Given the persistent onshore flow and tiny, weak swell, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Stay patient, folks. Forecasts can change, but right now, it’s a waiting game.

Rusty.

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