Margate Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for the next couple of weeks.

First up, the overall pattern. The truth is, it’s a pretty quiet stretch on the whole. The water is a warm 77°F at Margate Pier, which is a fair bit warmer than usual for this time of year – a nice thing for a paddle but the ocean’s not exactly firing. We’ve got a long gap of nothing really worth paddling out for until we get a tiny window late on the 19th. Most of the forecast is just small, weak, and messy slop. There’s very little energy in the water, with the combined swell energy mostly sitting in the 20s to 70s range, which is weak. The best we can really hope for is a small, clean session.

Let’s talk about the first real chance. Sunday morning, the 19th of July. We’ve got a light offshore breeze from the NW and the wave comment says “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions.” The swell is 3ft from the SSE on a period of 7 seconds. It’s not a standout, but it’s the first window where the wind is clean. The combined energy is only 70 (weak), so don’t expect much push. Still, it’s glassy and offshore, which is a major positive. The only spot we have to work with is Margate Pier, a beach/pier setup that’s exposed to the swell. This spot is very consistent, so it’s always got something, but the crowds are sometimes an issue. For a little 3ft day, it might not be too packed.

Moving into the next week, the 22nd of July (Wednesday) shows a small bump. The afternoon has a 3ft swell from the SSE with a period of 9 seconds. The combined energy finally climbs to 149 (moderate), so there’s a bit more life. The wind is cross-off from the W at 15 mph, keeping it clean. The wave comment still says “poor surf conditions,” but with a 3ft clean wave, it’s the best of a weak bunch. The swell direction is a bit off for the optimum SE direction that Margate Pier likes, but it’s still rideable.

After that, it’s a lot of nothing. The 26th of July (Sunday) morning has another “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions” call with a 2ft SE swell and a light cross-off wind, but it’s barely a ripple. The rest of the forecast through to the 1st of August is dominated by poor conditions, onshore winds, and tiny, short-period swell. The combined energy stays low, mostly in the 30s to 70s. There’s nothing even close to a standout in the second week. The 1st of August has a 2ft SSE swell but with a fresh cross-shore wind from the NE at 22 mph, making it lumpy and messy.

So, to be honest, there’s no proper standout here. The best on offer is the Sunday morning, the 19th of July, for a clean if small session, and maybe the Wednesday afternoon, the 22nd of July, for a slightly bigger but still ordinary wave. If you’re a beginner, Sunday morning’s 3ft offshore is perfect. Experienced surfers will be waiting for a real swell that isn’t coming in this window. For the rest, it’s a lot of flat spells and choppy junk.

Rusty.

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