Marlin Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it. Look, I’ll be straight with you – this 16-day window is a tough one for Marlin. The wind is a persistent problem, and the wave quality never really locks in. We’ve got a long stretch of poor conditions, so don’t get your hopes up too high just yet.

Things start off rough. From Wednesday the 12th right through the weekend, we’ve got rain showers and a persistent cross-onshore wind. The swell is there, with a solid S’ly groundswell showing up with a period of 14 seconds on the 12th and 17 seconds later that afternoon, which is that nice long-period energy. The combined energy is moderate to strong (376 and 552), but that wind just ruins it. The surface gets chopped up, and the lines are messy. It’s a write-off.

We get a slight reprieve by Friday the 14th. The wind eases to a light breeze, and the swell still has some S’ly groundswell in the mix with a period of 13 seconds. The combined energy is still strong (656). The morning is marginal, but it’s the best we’ve seen. The swell is around 4 feet, and with that lighter wind, the cross-onshore might just let a few clean ones slip through. It’s not a standout, but it’s the only window worth paddling out for.

From Saturday the 15th onward, it’s a real struggle. The wind stays onshore or cross-onshore, the swell mixes up, and the period drops significantly. By Tuesday the 18th, the swell bumps up to 6 feet but it’s short-period, wind-affected slop at 8 seconds. The combined energy is moderate (493), but it’s a lumpy, messy affair. The water temperature is about average for this time of year, nothing to write home about.

The second week is a dead zone. The swell drops right off, with a 16-day gap from about the 20th onwards where the guidance flags everything as poor. The energy drops to weak levels (63-65) by the 26th. There’s a brief spike of long-period S’ly swell on the 22nd with a period of 16-18 seconds, giving a combined energy of 884, but that wind is still cross-onshore and choppy. It’s a tease.

Honestly, Marlin needs a good offshore wind to make the most of that S’ly swell, and we’re not getting it. The best bet is Friday morning, the 14th of August. It’s the only time the wind drops enough to make the surf even marginal. Otherwise, this is a blank run. It’s a tough stretch for the area, but it won’t stay this way forever. Keep an eye on the forecasts.

Rusty.

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