Margate Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what Margate Pier’s got lined up for us over the next couple of weeks.

Straight up, it’s a tough run. For the next 16 days, the surf is small and the conditions are messy. We’re looking at a string of days where the combined swell energy is weak—mostly under 100—so there’s just not much power in the water. The only real bump in energy comes around Wednesday, July 8th and Thursday, July 9th, where the combined energy sneaks into the triple digits (119 and 117), but even then the wave comment says it’s poor surf conditions, so don’t get your hopes up. That’s about a week out.

For the first few days, from Thursday July 2nd right through to the end of the first week, it’s mostly knee-to-waist high slop. Swell heights hover around 1ft to 3ft, with periods mostly short—under 8 seconds—so it’s weak, lumpy, and lacks any real push. Winds are all over the place, often onshore or cross-shore, which doesn’t help. There are a couple of glassy mornings (like Friday July 3rd and Saturday July 4th) with clean conditions, but the swell is so tiny (0.7ft to 1ft) that it’s barely rideable. Not worth paddling out for, unless you’re after a flat-water paddle.

The middle of the second week, around Tuesday July 14th to Wednesday July 15th, is more of the same: small swells, weak energy, and onshore winds. The water temperature is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year at 72°F, but that doesn’t help the surf.

Best on offer? Honestly, there’s no true standout. If I had to pick the least worst option, it’d be the morning of Tuesday July 7th. We get a 2ft swell from the south, a 5-second period (short and weak still), but the wind is light and cross-offshore from the WSW, which should keep it clean. The combined energy is still low (55), so don’t expect power, but at least the wave face might be smooth enough for a few small rollers. Just watch for the risk of thunderstorms. That’s as good as it gets.

After that, the conditions stay poor right through to the end of the forecast. There’s a gap of several days with no real recommendation—nothing surfable from the 12th onwards really. For the last few days, into Friday July 17th, it’s still small and weak. A few clean-ish moments on the 16th and 17th with cross-offshore winds, but the swell is still under 3ft and period is short. Not worth rushing.

Keep an eye on the forecast, but for now, bring a book.
Rusty.

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