Horace Caldwell Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, it’s Rusty here. I’ve looked over the charts for the coming weeks, and I gotta be straight with you – it’s a tough stretch for wave riding around here. We’re looking at a solid 16-day run, but there’s just nothing that’s gonna get the heart pumping. The first real sniff of anything to ride doesn't even pop up for a while.

We’ll start with the only spot on the menu: Horace Caldwell Pier. For the first week and a half, it’s basically a no-go. From Monday the 31st all the way through to Monday the 7th of September, the surf is tiny. We’re talking ankle-snappers of 1ft to 3ft, mostly from the SSE and SE, with periods barely cracking 5 seconds. That’s just weak, short-period windswill with no punch. The combined energy is pathetically low, bouncing between 11 and 34 (weak energy). On top of that, the wind is mostly onshore or cross-onshore, just chopping up what little bump there is. The water temp is sitting around 86°F, which is pretty average for this time of year, so at least the paddle is warm, but you won't be doing much surfing.

Now, there is a little glimmer on Monday the 7th of September morning. The wind swings around to the SW at only 3 mph and goes glassy. That’s a beautiful thing to see, and the surface will be like a mirror. But the problem is the swell: still a pathetic 2ft from the SE at a 5-second period. The combined energy is a measly 18 (weak). So, it’ll look pretty, but there’s just no wave to ride. The same goes for Tuesday the 8th of September morning – a clean, cross-offshore breeze from the WSW, but again, 2ft of weak swell (energy of 13). Frustrating.

Things try to pick up a little in the second week. Around Friday the 11th of September, the swell bumps up to 3ft to 3ft from the SSE, with the period finally stretching to 5 seconds. The combined energy gets into the moderate range, hitting 48 and 56. That’s the most energy we see in the whole run. But the wind is still a problem – cross-onshore and onshore, keeping it choppy and messy. It’s still a "poor surf conditions" call across the board.

Even right through to Tuesday the 15th of September, the story doesn't change. We get a little 3ft swell with a 6-second period on the 15th, giving us 60 combined energy (moderate), but it’s coming from the E with a cross-onshore breeze. It’s just not good enough to recommend.

Honestly, there are no standouts here. No big swells, no clean windows with good waves. If you’re a kitesurfer, those afternoons with 12-16 mph onshore winds and a bit of chop might look interesting, but for a paddle surfer, it’s a long, flat, and frustrating outlook. The crowds might be "sometimes" an issue here, but when the surf is this poor, you’ll likely have the place to yourself.

Hang in there. Forecasts can change, but right now, this is a blank run.

- Rusty

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