Indicators Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Hey, Rusty here. Let’s look at the Indicators stretch. It’s a bit of a mixed bag for the next two weeks, but there are a few diamonds in the rough if you know what you’re looking for.

Right off the bat, the early days are a tough watch. You’ve got small SSW groundswell rolling through, with wave heights around 2ft to 4ft. The period is long – 16 to 19 seconds – so that’s real groundswell, full of potential, but the wind is blowing onshore or cross-onshore consistently. That’s making everything bumpy and messy. The water is sitting at 61°, which is a huge 5° warmer than normal for July. That is a very unusual warm anomaly, you won’t need a full wetsuit. The combined swell energy is moderate to strong, reading 454 on Sunday afternoon and climbing to 742 by Monday morning.

Tuesday the 7th sees the swell hold around 2ft to 3ft, but the wind swings cross-onshore in the afternoon, with a combined energy reading of 1078 (strong). Still marginal, but you can see the pattern shifting. Wednesday the 8th is similar – 4ft waves, strong energy at 1160, but the wind is just light cross-onshore. It’s frustrating because the swell is there, the power is there, but the surface is holding it back.

Here’s where it gets a little wild. Thursday the 9th, a 8ft NW windswell hits in the morning, with a short period of 9 seconds. That’s a lot of water in a short time, very strong at 1892 on the energy scale. This is expert-only territory, and with the cross-onshore wind, it won’t be clean. Friday the 10th keeps the size up around 7ft from the NW in the morning, dropping through the afternoon.

The standout opportunity for the strong swimmers and experienced surfers lands on Thursday, July 16. The morning shows a 7ft NW swell with a combined energy of 1448, and the wind is finally light onshore, not cross-onshore. The period is short at 9 seconds, so it’s going to be a steep, powerful drop. This is the biggest and best combination of size and clean-ish conditions for the whole forecast.

After that peak, the second week mellow out. From Friday the 17th, a new, longer-period SW groundswell arrives (17 seconds). The waves drop to just 2ft, but that long period means they’ll be glassy and fun, especially on the sets. The wind is light or variable, so Sunday the 19th morning, with a 2ft swell and clean conditions, could actually be the most user-friendly day for a log or a mid-length. By Monday the 20th, the swell bumps back up to 4ft, but quality takes a hit.

So, for the regular surfer, target the clean, small days around the 17th to the 19th. For the experts, circle July 16. The gap from the 5th to the 9th is rough, but it won’t stay quiet forever.

Rusty.

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