Narrow Neck Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, grab a coffee and let’s have a look at what’s coming up at Narrow Neck over the next couple of weeks.

Honestly, I’m feeling a bit flat about this one. The outlook for Narrow Neck is pretty grim for the bulk of the forecast. The surf just isn’t cooperating, and the conditions are going to be messy, blown-out, or just too small to get excited about. You’re looking at a long stretch of nothing good.

Right now, and for the whole first week, it’s a write-off. We’ve got tiny waves, poor surf, and a lot of cross-onshore wind. The swell is weak, with combined wave energy barely hitting triple digits on the best days, often sitting in the low teens to a few hundred (like 35 to 334). The water temp is about normal for the year at 70°, nothing unusual there.

The wind just won’t play ball. Over the first week, it’s mostly cross-onshore, picking up from the south and southeast, getting fresh and strong, making it lumpy and messy. The swell is small, under 3 ft, or just junk. By Thursday, July 16th, and Friday, July 17th, we get some size pushing 5 ft to 6 ft, but the wind is on it, cross-onshore, and the period is short – only 7 seconds. That’s windswell, not the kind of wave you want to paddle out for. It’s poor surf across the board. The setup is a reef break, so if you’re a kiter, the bigger, windier days mid-week might look more interesting than for us paddle surfers.

We finally see a little glimmer of hope right at the very end of the forecast period. On the morning of Friday, July 24th, the wind goes glassy. Swell is small, just 2 ft from the east with a 9-second period. The wave comment says “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions”. That’s not exactly a ringing endorsement, but the glassy conditions with light wind mean the reef will be clean. It’s a beginner-level spot, and it’s consistent, but if it looks like a tiny, clean wave, it might be your only chance to wet a line. Crowds are possible at this spot sometimes.

Saturday the 25th brings another glassy morning: 2 ft, 9-second east swell, but again, it’s just ordinary. Sunday the 26th has a clean, offshore morning with a WNW wind, but the swell drops to a tiny 2 ft.

The real standout in this whole sorry stretch is actually the Monday, July 27th. The morning shows 3 ft from the east, an 8-second period, with a cross-offshore wind. That’s the best combo we get – clean conditions with a bit of push. The wave energy jumps to 169, which is still weak, but for Narrow Neck in this window, that’s the pick. It’s not a standout compared to other spots, but it’s the best on offer here.

Bottom line: it’s a tough couple of weeks. There’s a huge gap with no real recommendations until the very end. The first real chance to paddle out is on the 24th, and even then it’s just small, clean conditions. The 27th stands out as the best bet, but temper your expectations. This is normal for the area when the wind and swell don’t align.

- Rusty

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