Lake Ferry Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, I’m Rusty, and I’ve been staring at this Lake Ferry outlook. Let’s just say, it’s a bit of a mixed bag that’s gonna test your patience.

Overall, this forecast is a long, slow burn. The first full week is basically a write-off with small, messy, or just plain bad conditions. The real excitement is a massive, dangerous swell that shows up way later, which is a wildcard for the brave. There are plenty of gaps with no real recommendations here.

Kicking off on Sunday the 6th, it’s already a no-go. You’ve got a measly 2ft SSW swell with a 16 second period, but that cross-off wind is howling at 22 mph. The water is 55°, which is pretty much normal for this time of year. The wave energy is weak (228). Don’t bother.

Monday the 7th brings a bit more size – 6ft from the S – but the period drops to a short 7 seconds, and the wind is a messy cross-on. The energy is up (469), but it’s chopped up and ugly. Still a hard pass.

Tuesday the 8th and Wednesday the 9th are small and marginal. Tuesday morning has a 3ft S swell with a 10-second period and light cross-on winds. It’s not unsurfable, but it’s far from good. Wednesday morning is cleaner with a light offshore (NNE), but the swell is only 2ft and the period is a weak 8 seconds. The energy is pitiful (68).

Thursday the 10th is tiny and unusable, and Friday the 11th has a brief moment of hope with a 6ft SSW swell, but the period is a short 7 seconds and the wind is strong cross-off. It’s a no.

Then we hit the real standout, but it’s a wild one. On Sunday the 13th, the swell explodes to a massive 21ft from the SSW with a very long 15-second period. The combined energy is a huge 18,634 – this is serious, powerful groundswell. The wind is light and cross-shore in the morning. This is only for absolute experts. That size is far too big for anyone but the most experienced, and with a long period like that, it’s going to be a heaving, dangerous beast. For everyone else, it’s more of a spectator sport.

Monday the 14th is still huge at 12ft from the SSW, but the winds stay cross-off, making it clean. Again, experts only. The afternoon drops to 8ft, which is still a heavy wave for a sandbar setup like Lake Ferry.

After that, the swell backs off, but the wind gets nasty again from Tuesday the 15th onward, with strong offshore and cross-off winds ruining any chance of good shape. There’s a brief look on Wednesday the 16th with a 7ft SSW, but it’s cross-on and short period.

The rest of the second week is a mix of messy, cross-shore winds and medium swells. It’s not good. The last few days, like the 19th and 20th, have solid size but terrible onshore wind, making it a complete mess. This stretch is honestly more interesting for the kite surfers than paddle surfers, given the strong wind and lumpy conditions.

Your best bet, if you’re a charger, is Sunday the 13th and Monday the 14th. Those are the only true standouts for size and power, but they are not for the faint of heart. For everyone else, keep an eye on the forecast because it *has* to get better after this.

- Rusty

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