Joaquina Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for the next couple of weeks.

We’ve got a bit of a slow start, with the first few days offering nothing worth paddling out for. Thursday and Friday are flat and weak, just small, messy windswell. The wait is on until Saturday, August 8th, and that’s where things get interesting.

Saturday morning is the real standout. Joaquina wakes up to a clean 5-foot swell from the SSE with a very long 15-second period. The combined energy is pumping at 911 – that’s solid, powerful groundswell. With light N winds and clean conditions, this is the session to circle. The water temperature is sitting at 66°, which is pretty average for this time of year, nothing out of the ordinary. This swell is best for experienced surfers at a sandbar break like Joaquina, as that long period will push through with real punch. Expect the lineup to be busy – this spot is often crowded, and for good reason.

Saturday afternoon holds up with 4-foot from the SSE, still clean, just a touch less energy. Sunday, August 9th, turns ugly with strong southerly cross-onshore winds and choppy surf, so give it a miss.

Monday, August 10th, the swell jumps to 7-foot from the south, but that’s too big for Joaquina – it’s a warning sign for experts only, and the wind is messy. Not the day.

The middle of the week, from Tuesday through Thursday, is a mixed bag. Wednesday morning, August 12th, sees offshore NW winds at just 3 mph and a clean 4-foot SSE swell with 12-second period – that’s a solid, surfable window with decent energy (461). Thursday the 13th drops back to smaller 3-foot waves, still clean but ordinary.

There’s a dry spell from Friday, August 14th, through the weekend – onshore winds, choppy, and poor quality. Saturday the 15th is a write-off. Sunday the 16th brings 6-foot short-period swell from the ESE with only 7 seconds, and cross-shore winds making it choppy. More of a kite day than a paddle day.

Monday, August 17th, pushes 8-foot from the east with 9-second period and clean offshore winds, but again, that’s too big for this break – just for the brave and experienced. Tuesday the 18th has a clean 5-foot from the ESE with offshore winds, worth a look in the morning.

The second week starts to look more promising. Wednesday the 19th morning is clean with 4-foot east swell, and then Thursday, August 20th, is another highlight. Thursday morning offers a clean 4-foot SSE groundswell with 14 seconds and very light winds, energy at 546. But Thursday afternoon steals the show – glassy conditions with NNW winds at just 3 mph, 4-foot SSE swell at 13 seconds, energy at 587. That’s the kind of session that makes you forget the flat spells.

Friday the 21st fades a bit with 3-foot and cross-shore wind, but still surfable.

Overall, the standout days are Saturday morning, August 8th, and Thursday afternoon, August 20th. The rest is mostly average or poor, with a few clean windows in between.

Rusty.

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