In Betweens Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here again, looking at the same stretch for In-Betweens. It’s a rough patch, no two ways about it. The first week is mostly a bust, with tiny surf and strong winds that’ll have you wondering why you even brought your board.

We kick off on Tuesday, July 14th, with a 3 ft swell from the SSW, period of 14 seconds. That’s a long-period groundswell, but it’s just too small for any real fun. The wind is a cross-off from the ENE at 12 mph, keeping things clean, but the energy is weak. Water temp is 79°, which is right where it should be for this time of year. Barely worth a paddle.

From Wednesday, July 15th, through Sunday, July 19th, the surf is dead. Swell heights hover between 2 ft and 2 ft, with a nasty short-period windswell from the ENE that’s all chop and no shape. Winds are howling at 15 to 22 mph, making it a mess. The scores are all zero: poor surf conditions. The energy readings are moderate to strong, but it’s just wind, not waves.

The first glimmer of hope is Monday, July 20th. The morning brings a 4 ft swell from the ENE, but it’s only 7 seconds—short and weak. The wind is cross-off, and the wave comment says “marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions.” The afternoon sees a shift: a 3 ft groundswell from the S, with a period of 16 seconds. That’s a long, clean line, but still small. The energy is a solid 608. This is the first sign of something real.

The best of the whole outlook is Thursday, July 23rd, and Friday, July 24th. The swell is tiny—only 2 ft to 2 ft—but the period is ridiculous: 21 seconds on Thursday morning, dropping to 18 seconds on Friday. That’s very long-period groundswell from the SSW. The combined energy readings are high, from 645 to 709, meaning there’s a lot of deep-ocean push. The wind is a clean cross-off from the ENE at 12-19 mph. For a reef break like In-Betweens, this long period will create some beautifully shaped, glassy waves, but the sets will be spaced out. It’s the highlight of the two weeks, even if it’s not a big swell.

From July 26th to July 29th, the swell builds a bit—3 ft to 4 ft—but it shifts to the E and ENE, with a period of 12 to 16 seconds. The combined energy is very strong, peaking at 954 on the 26th. The wind stays cross-off, so the surface is clean. But the wave comments are all “marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions.” On Wednesday, July 29th, the wind drops to a light breeze (3-6 mph), but it’s cross-shore, so expect a few ripples on the face.

Bottom line: your best bet is Thursday, July 23rd, and Friday, July 24th, for that long-period SSW groundswell. It’s not a big day, but it’s the cleanest, most promising window in this 16-day stretch. Keep your eyes on the tide and be patient.

Rusty.

Read more