Horace Caldwell Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s be straight with you. Over the next 16 days, we’re looking at a stretch where the surf just doesn’t want to show up. We’ve got one spot on the radar, Horace Caldwell Pier, and honestly, it’s a long, flat grind with nothing worth paddling out for. The waves are small, the period is short, and the winds are mostly onshore or cross-onshore, messing up whatever tiny bumps are there. It’s going to be a test of patience, not a week for scoring waves.

We start off this Saturday, August 1st, with practically nothing. Early morning has a weak 2.6ft SSE swell with a 5-second period, and a cross-on breeze making it choppy. The combined energy is a paltry 33, which is just weak. By afternoon, the wind swings more onshore, and it’s worse. Not worth your time.

Sunday the 2nd is the only glimmer of hope in this whole stretch. The morning brings a clean, glassy window with offshore WNW wind at 3 mph. The swell is still tiny, 2.6ft from the SSE with that same short 5-second period, but at least it’s clean. Energy is up slightly to 37. If you absolutely have to get wet, this is your window. It’s a beginner-friendly wave, but it’s still poor. The afternoon blows out again with onshore winds.

From Monday the 3rd all the way through Friday the 7th, it’s the same story. Tiny swells from the SSE or SE, 2ft to 3.3ft, periods of 5 to 6 seconds, and winds mostly cross-onshore or onshore. The combined energy stays in the weak range, struggling to get past the 70s. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there. The pier, being fairly exposed, just isn’t catching anything decent.

The second week, starting August 8th, sees a slight bump in size, but it’s not a rescue. Swells push up to 3.6ft to 4.6ft by the 10th and 11th, but the period stays stubbornly short at 6 seconds. This is just windswell, and with winds picking up to fresh breezes, it’s going to be lumpy and messy. The combined energy finally gets into the moderate range, hitting 109 on the 10th and 139 on the 11th, but that’s just more of the same low-quality slop. The cross-onshore flow creates wind chop, and it’s not going to break cleanly.

After that mid-week bump, it fades back down. The 12th and 13th drop back to 3.6ft and 3.3ft, and then we go even smaller. The wind stays onshore. By the 16th, it’s the same poor story: 3.3ft of SE swell with a 7-second period and a cross-on breeze.

Look, I’ve got to be honest. There are no standouts here. There is no day where you’re going to look at the forecast and grab your board with excitement. This is a long stretch of tiny, short-period, onshore slop at a break that’s just not built for this. If the wind were offshore, those tiny waves would at least be clean, but that’s only happening for one morning on the 2nd. The rest is chop.

Given the small waves, the onshore wind, and how exposed this beach/pier setup is, this looks more like a kiteboarding or windsurfing week than a surfing week. You’re going to need to find another way to get your fix, or just wait it out. The next real swell is a long way off.

Stay patient, keep an eye on the charts, and hopefully we get something better soon.

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