L Jetty Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Yo, it’s Rusty. Let’s get real about this one. We’ve got a 16-day window, but honestly, the first week is a near washout. There’s only one true standout session, and it’s a short-lived window. After that, the forecast goes flat and messy again, so don’t hold your breath.

The only spot on the radar is L Jetty, a beach/jetty setup. For the first week, the swell is tiny and the wind is trash. Most days are cross-shore or onshore, with heights barely scraping 3 ft and periods around 4 to 7 seconds. That’s weak, short-period junk. The combined energy is mostly in the 20 to 50 range, which is pretty weak. Nothing to get excited about. The water temp is sitting at 74°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so you won’t need a thick wetsuit.

But then, on Wednesday morning, July 22nd, things finally line up. We get a clean 4 ft swell from the SSE with an 8-second period, and the wind turns offshore from the west at 12 mph. The combined energy jumps to 221 (moderate), and the wave comment says “expect good surf conditions.” That’s our window. The swell direction is a bit wide of the optimum ESE, but it’s still a solid call. The break is exposed, and it’s fairly consistent. Just be aware of the crowds – they’re often there, so you’ll have company. It’s a moderate offshore and clean, so the waves will hold shape. That Wednesday morning session is the standout.

By Wednesday afternoon, the swell bumps up to 6 ft with energy at 554, but the wind stays offshore. It’s still clean, but the bigger size (over 5 ft) means it’s getting borderline for beginners. The afternoon could be a second option if you’re intermediate or better.

Then, from Thursday, July 23rd onward, it’s back to poor conditions. The wind goes cross or cross-on, and the swell drops or stays messy. There’s a long gap of over a week with no decent surf. The second week (late July into early August) has some 5 ft to 6 ft swell, but it’s all onshore or cross-onshore wind, weak periods (6 to 7 seconds), and the energy is scattered. The wave comments are all “poor surf conditions.” Nothing worth paddling out for.

So, bottom line: if you want a wave, your only real shot is the morning of Wednesday, July 22nd at L Jetty. After that, it’s a long dry spell. For the rest of the time, the setup is more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing, given the onshore wind and lumpy chop. But don’t give up hope – forecasts can change, and a run like this tends not to stay poor for long.

Stay salty.
Rusty.

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