National Park Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s get into it. The next couple of weeks are a real slow starter, but there’s some solid potential brewing if you’ve got patience and a bigger board.

We’re kicking off with a pretty flat spell. From Monday the 13th right through to the end of Wednesday the 15th, there’s barely a ripple at National Park. Tiny swell, somewhere around 0.2 ft to 2 ft, with weak energy in the water (energy values as low as 3 to 65). The wind does get clean and even offshore at times, but there’s just no push. You’d be floating around for nothing.

The first real glimmer comes on Thursday the 16th. The swell starts to build through the day, reaching 7 ft to 8 ft from the SE with a short, choppy period of 7 seconds. The energy jumps up to 541 and 574, but the wind is strong and cross-off from the SSE at 19 to 22 mph. It’s going to be messy and a bit of a handful, not the kind of day you’d call good. This lumpy, short-period swell continues into Friday the 17th with similar size and fresh cross-off winds. Still not clean enough to get excited about.

Now, Saturday the 18th is where it starts to get interesting, but also a bit tricky. The swell builds to 8 ft in the morning and 10 ft by afternoon, from the SE with a period stretching to 10 seconds. That’s proper groundswell energy, with readings hitting 1295 and 1428. The wind remains a fresh cross-off, which keeps the surface tidy. However, at 10 ft, this is really only for experienced surfers. It’s big, powerful, and the setup here will be heavy. If you’re not solid, give it a miss.

Sunday the 19th is similar in size at 8 ft, but the period stays around 9 seconds and the wind is still strong and cross-off. It’s workable for the skilled crew, but not the pick of the window.

The standout window arrives on Monday the 20th and Tuesday the 21st. Monday morning sees a 10 ft swell from the ESE with a 10-second period and clean offshore wind from the SSE at 16 mph. Energy is huge at 1470. That’s proper groundswell, but it’s big. By Monday afternoon, the swell drops a touch to 8 ft, still with offshore wind, and the forecast calls for excellent conditions for experienced surfers. This is the best on offer. Tuesday the 21st keeps the quality going, with 7 ft to 6 ft ESE swell, dropping to a more manageable size, with clean cross-off to offshore winds. Energy is still solid at 703 and 579. This is a great couple of days.

After that, the swell fades through Wednesday the 22nd and Thursday the 23rd, dropping back under 7 ft, and conditions become a bit more ordinary with onshore and cross-shore winds. It stays small and unremarkable through the end of the month.

The best bet is clear: aim for Monday the 20th afternoon and Tuesday the 21st. The swell direction from the ESE lines up nicely with the break’s optimum ENE exposure, and that offshore wind will make it clean. Water temperature is 69°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year.

Crowds are often here, so that’s something to factor in on the good days.

– Rusty

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