Lymans Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Gather 'round, crew. Rusty here. We’ve got a 16-day window to look at, and I gotta be straight with you – for the first week, it’s a real slow grind. The ocean’s just not cooperating. The first real chance of something half-decent doesn’t roll in until the back half of the window, and even then, it’s going to be a game of inches.

The first spot that shows any life is Lymans, a reef and point setup that’s fairly consistent. It’s a beginner-friendly spot, which is a good thing because the swell is tiny. The water temp is sitting at 80°, which is bang on average for the time of year, so no surprises there.

The whole first week, from Sunday the 19th through to Saturday the 25th, is a total write-off. We’re looking at wave heights of 1.0 ft to 2 ft, with the combined energy of all swells barely getting into the low hundreds. That’s just weak, weak energy. The wind is mostly light and cross-onshore, which isn't doing us any favors, and the comments are all “poor surf conditions.” It’s flat, mate. There’s a couple of afternoons on the 22nd and 23rd where the swell bumps up to 2 ft – 3 ft, and the energy readings jump into the 500s, but the forecast is still calling it “marginal.” The swell direction is mostly SSW, which is off from the spot’s preferred WNW. It’s not worth paddling out for.

We hit the following Sunday, the 26th, and it’s more of the same – 3 ft of weak, choppy mess. Monday the 27th to Wednesday the 29th is a bit of a mixed bag. The swell holds around 2 ft to 3 ft, but the energy stays in the 200s and 300s, and the wind keeps it choppy. It’s not good.

Now, Thursday the 30th of July shows a little flicker. The afternoon session has a 2 ft swell from the SSW with a period of 18 seconds – that’s a long-period groundswell. The energy is 346, which is moderate, and the wind goes light and cross-shore. For a reef and point, a long period like that can actually set up some nice, walled-up lines, but the size is just too small to get excited about.

The real standout, and the only one I’d even consider, is the first weekend of August. Saturday the 1st and Sunday the 2nd are the best on offer. Saturday morning shows 3 ft from the SSW with a 18-second period, and the energy jumps to 550. The wind is light and onshore, but the bigger size and long period give it a chance. Sunday the 2nd is the pick of the bunch. We’re looking at 4 ft from the SSW, with a 15-second period, and the combined energy hits 846 – that’s solid, moderate energy. The wind is light and cross-onshore. It’s not perfect, but it’s the closest we get to a clean, surfable wave. The long period is a bit of a caveat at a beach break, but Lymans is a reef and point, and that’s exactly where you want a long-period groundswell to shine. The crowds are listed as “sometimes,” so you might have a few others out, but it shouldn’t be a zoo.

The week after that, Monday the 3rd, the swell drops again to 3 ft and the energy falls back to 467. The run continues flat.

So, bottom line: the first week is a total loss. Don’t even bother. The second week is a slow burn, but the weekend of the 1st and 2nd of August is your best bet. It’s not a classic, but it’s the only real window of opportunity in this forecast.

Rusty.

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