Joss Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, it’s Rusty here. Let’s be honest with you right off the bat – this is a tough one for Joss Bay (England). I’ve scanned the whole 16-day window, and I’m not seeing a single standout session that’s going to get you racing for the car. The whole period is a run of extremely small, weak swell with poor energy levels. We’re looking at a long, dry spell with no real recommendations.

The first few days are a total write-off. Monday the 3rd of August kicks off with a tiny 3 ft swell from the ENE, but it’s a short period windswell (5 seconds) and the cross-onshore wind makes it a messy, choppy affair. The combined energy is weak (64). It's a no-go. Tuesday and Wednesday (4th & 5th) are even smaller, dropping to 1 ft and then just 0.3 ft. The wind goes offshore for a bit, which would be pure glass, but there’s literally no water moving. The wave energy is almost non-existent, down to just 2 (on Wednesday). You’d be floating on a lake.

This pattern of tiny, poor-quality surf drags on. Thursday the 6th, Friday the 7th, Saturday the 8th… all the same story. We get a tiny bump to 2 ft on Sunday the 9th, but the period is a dismal 4 seconds and the wind is onshore or cross-onshore, so it’s just a bumpy mess. The combined energy barely cracks 10.

The middle of the week isn’t any better. From Monday the 10th to Wednesday the 12th, the swell is mostly 1 ft to 2 ft, all short-period windswell from the NE, with fresh onshore winds. The water temperature is about average for the time of year, but you won't care because you won't be in it.

Finally, we get a tiny glimmer of hope near the end. Thursday the 13th and Friday the 14th see the swell nudge up to 3 ft and then 4 ft, but the period is still short (4-5 seconds) and the wind is mostly onshore or a fresh cross-onshore, making it lumpy. The combined energy hits 80 on Friday afternoon, but the conditions are described as "poor."

The absolute best of a bad bunch comes on Saturday the 15th of August. The morning session has a 4 ft swell from the NE, with a light 6 mph wind from the south that’s cross-offshore. The report says it’s clean. The combined energy is a weak 55 and the period is a short 5 seconds, so it won't be punchy, but it’s the only window where the surf is at least "surfable" and the wind won't ruin it. Sunday the 16th afternoon is similar, with a 4 ft NE swell and clean conditions, but the period is still short.

Forget the board for most of this fortnight. The set-up is more interesting for a kite if you’ve got one, given the consistent onshore wind and lack of wave power. The forecasts can change, but right now, the only time to even consider paddling out is the morning of Saturday the 15th. It’s not a standout, it’s just the only option.

Rusty.

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