Isle of Palms Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it. This is Rusty, and I’m looking at the next couple of weeks for Isle of Palms Pier. Gotta be straight with you—there’s no real swell to speak of for a long stretch. We’re looking at a whole lot of nothing for the first week and a half, with just tiny, short-period slop. The first real chance to even think about paddling out doesn’t show up until Tuesday morning, the 1st of September, and even then, it’s barely a ripple.

Let’s break it down. From Sunday, the 23rd of August, right through to the end of the month, the surf is weak. We’re talking wave heights under 3 ft, mostly from the south or southeast, with periods that are all over the place—sometimes short and weak, other times long but with no energy behind them. The combined energy is mostly in the teens to low 80s, which is just weak. The wind is a mess too, often cross or cross-onshore, chopping things up. There’s a morning here and there with a bit of cross-offshore breeze, like on the 27th, 28th, and 29th, but the swell is still tiny and ordinary. Not worth getting excited about.

The water temperature is sitting at about 86°F, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so you won’t need a thick wetsuit, but you will need a lot of patience.

The first hint of anything different comes on Tuesday, September 1st. The morning sees a tiny 1 ft swell from the southeast, but with a period of 15 seconds—that’s proper groundswell. The energy is still weak (74), and the wind is light cross-offshore, keeping it clean. It’s surfable, but barely. By Wednesday morning, September 2nd, we get a bit of a standout: same tiny 1 ft from the southeast, but the wind goes glassy. That’s rare. The combined energy is 81, still weak, but for a small wave, it’ll be clean and maybe fun on a log. The period is 13 seconds, which is long, so it’ll have some push, but at this size, it’s not going to be a classic.

After that, Thursday and Friday mornings offer a little more of the same—small, clean, but nothing to write home about. The real kicker is that the swell is just too small for any power. It never gets above 3 ft for the whole 16 days. The best you can hope for is a longboard session on a glassy morning.

The second week shows a slight bump in energy around the 5th and 6th of September, with combined energy hitting 115 and 144, but the wind is strong and cross-onshore, ruining any chance of quality. The swell is still under 3 ft, so it’s not a big swell problem, just a messy one.

The standout option here is Isle of Palms Pier itself, but it’s a tough sell. The best bet is the Wednesday morning, September 2nd, with glassy conditions and that long-period 1 ft southeast swell. It’s inconsistent, but when it comes, it’ll be clean. Just don’t expect any size. This is a beginner-friendly break, and with waves this small, it’s safe for anyone, but there’s not much to ride.

Given the lack of consistent swell and the poor quality overall, this stretch is more of a paddle-and-chat session than a surf session. If you’re desperate, hit it on the glassy mornings, but otherwise, keep your board in the car.

Rusty.

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