Indicators Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, I’m gonna be straight with you – this whole stretch doesn’t have much to get excited about. The only break on the table is Indicators, and it’s a sheltered, advanced point break that’s only going to fire when the swell direction lines up perfectly with its optimum WNW. Problem is, the swell we’re seeing is mostly SSW, SW, and NW, so it’s fighting an uphill battle. The first real surf worth mentioning doesn’t even show up until Friday the 28th of August, and even then it’s marginal.

Indicators is a point break that’s fairly consistent but it’s got a tough crowd profile – it’s often packed, so don’t expect solitude. The water is running at 62°F with a 4°F anomaly, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year, so you can leave the thick wetsuit at home.

From Friday the 28th of August, we start seeing a little bit of life. That morning brings a NW swell at 5 ft with a short period of 8 seconds and a combined energy of 884 – that’s moderate energy. The wind is light and offshore from the west, so it should be clean, but the short period means the waves won’t have much push. It’s rated as marginal, so it’s a maybe for the advanced crew. The afternoon drops off to a tiny 2 ft SSW swell with a long period of 19 seconds, but a light cross-on breeze messes with the surface.

Saturday the 29th of August, the morning has a 3 ft SSW swell, 18-second period, light offshore WSW wind, and combined energy of 933 – again moderate energy but still marginal. The waves might have some shape with that long period, but it’s not a standout.

Sunday the 30th of August, the morning is similar: 3 ft SSW, 16 seconds, light offshore wind, 871 energy. Still marginal. The afternoon, though, sees a bump in swell to 6 ft from the WNW with a period of 9 seconds and energy of 798. But the wind picks up to 9 mph from the WNW, making it a gentle cross-on breeze that’ll chop things up. That 6 ft is getting into the too-big-for-beginners range, but for experts, it’s just okay.

Monday the 31st of August through to Wednesday the 2nd of September, the swell holds around 4 ft to 5 ft, but it’s all WNW with short periods (8-9 seconds) and cross-on winds. The energy stays moderate (255 to 633), but the quality is poor – the winds are just not cooperating, and the short-period swell won’t give you much.

From Thursday the 3rd of September, it drops back to tiny 2 ft SSW swell with long periods (19 seconds), but the wind is cross-on or onshore, so it’s flat and messy. There’s a brief flicker on Friday the 4th of September with a 3 ft SSW swell, 18 seconds, and 538 energy, but the wind is cross-on, so it’s marginal at best. Saturday the 5th of September is similar – 3 ft SSW, 16 seconds, 448 energy, light cross-on wind, but still poor.

Honestly, the best window in this whole 16-day outlook is the morning of Friday the 28th of August. That 5 ft NW swell with light offshore wind could be rideable for the advanced crew, despite the short period. Nothing else comes close to being a standout, and the long gaps between any decent windows are a real bummer. The rest of the time, it’s either flat, windy, or too small.

If you’re a kiter, the afternoons with stronger cross-on winds and a bit of swell might be more interesting than paddle surfing. But for now, it’s a waiting game.

Rusty

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