Lefthanders Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s on the menu for the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, it’s a heavy-hitter. We’ve got a serious pulse of swell coming in, and for a spot like Lefthanders, that’s a double-edged sword. The water’s sitting at a much warmer than normal 67°F, which is 4°F above average for this time of year – you won’t need the full wetsuit for a while.

The real story here is size. Through the first few days, we’re looking at a solid 13ft to 12ft SW groundswell with a juicy 17-second period. The wave energy is massive (9736), and while the wind is light, it’s cross-on. Honestly, this is just too much water moving for a standard session. This isn’t a beginner’s wave – at 13ft, this is expert-only territory and even then, it’s pushing the limit. The morning of Friday the 14th is the closest we get to clean with an 12ft, 16-second swell and a light cross-offshore breeze. That’s the best of a wild bunch, but you’ll still need your big-wave gun and a lot of respect.

Saturday the 15th drops to a still-chunky 8ft, but the period shortens to 14 seconds and the wind swings northerly, putting us in a messy cross-shore. The score reflects that – it’s just average. By Sunday the 16th, we’re back up to a powerful 10ft from the WSW with moderate cross-off winds, but again, the size is a problem for the average punter.

Then it gets ugly. Monday the 17th sees a near-gale at 31 mph hammering the coast. 13ft of SW swell with a 17-second period, but blown to bits. That’s a hard pass. The following days stay in the 12ft to 16ft range, but the wind stays onshore or cross-on, and the wave comment says it all: poor surf conditions, no scores. There is a lot of swell, but it’s a washing machine.

We finally see a slight drop around Saturday the 22nd with a 8-10ft SW swell, but again, lumpy cross-on winds keep things messy. There’s a glimmer on Sunday the 23rd – a 13ft SW swell (14 seconds) with only a light breeze, but the size is still too big for this break to be fun for most. The period is still long, so the sets will be powerful and a bit straight for a beach break scenario, but for a reef? It holds.

The last week of August continues the theme: big, angry, and unrideable for the most part. The morning of Wednesday the 26th looks the most tempting with an 12ft WSW swell and light wind, but the guide still flags it as “too big.” For the paddle surfer, this is a frustrating run. For the kiter? With this much wind and swell, it’s probably a full-on wind sport zone.

Verdict: There is no standout classic session here. The only reason to paddle out is if you are an expert on a very big board and you want the cleanest glimpse of power on Friday the 14th morning. Otherwise, it’s a waiting game.

Rusty

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