Jenkinsons (Point Pleasant Beach) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you – the next 16 days are looking pretty grim for a proper paddle. We’ve got one spot to look at, and it’s a frustrating run of barely-surfable conditions.

The only break on the radar is Jenkinsons (Point Pleasant Beach), an advanced-level beach and jetty setup. The water is currently running at 77°F, which is a whopping 5°F warmer than usual for this time of year – that’s much warmer than normal, so you can leave the thick wetsuit at home.

We kick off on Tuesday the 18th of August, and it’s a tough start. The swell is a tiny 2ft from the SSE with a short, weak 7-second period. The combined energy is a measly 51 – that’s weak. The wind is a cross-on 6 mph, messing up what little shape there is. This is poor surf, plain and simple.

Wednesday the 19th isn’t any better. Swell drops to 2ft, still SSE and short period. Thursday the 20th and Friday the 21st are flat with 1ft waves. The one bright spot on the 19th is a clean morning with a light WNW cross-off breeze, but there’s just no power in the water to make it worthwhile.

The weekend of the 22nd and 23rd sees a slight bump. Saturday morning the swell jumps to 4ft, but it’s a junky 5-second period from the east, with a strong onshore wind at 16 mph. By the afternoon, it’s 5ft with 143 moderate energy, but the wind is still on it, making it a choppy mess. This is more of a kite-surfing setup than a surfing one – the wind and weak, short-period swell are just ugly.

Then we hit a long, painful gap. From Sunday the 23rd afternoon through to the 29th of August, the swell is tiny, the wind is all over the place, and the combined energy hovers around 30 to 57. It’s a full week of flat, poor conditions.

The first real standout, and the only one worth mentioning, arrives on Sunday the 30th of August. The swell picks up to 4ft from the ESE, with a much longer 12-second period. The combined energy rockets to 522 – that’s strong wave energy. This is a groundswell, and it’s got some serious grunt. However, the wind is a cross-on 16 mph from the NE, so it’s going to be choppy and blown out. It’s a tease, really – the power is there, but the conditions won’t be clean. This is only for experts, as 4ft with that much energy can pack a punch.

The second standout is a bit more promising. Monday the 31st of August morning brings a glassy session. The swell is back to 2ft from the east, with a 9-second period and a combined energy of 113. The wind is glassy – 3 mph from the SE – which means dead flat water. This is your best chance for a clean, mellow wave, even if the size is small. It’s surfable, but ordinary. The afternoon gets choppy again.

The first week of September is a bust. Tiny 1ft swell and shifty winds.

So, there you have it. A long run of poor conditions, one big but messy day on the 30th, and a glassy little window on the 31st. It’s a dry spell, but for an area like this, a blank run happens. Forecasts can change. Keep an eye on the 31st for a quiet, clean paddle.

Rusty.

Read more