Newcombs Hollow Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, surfers, Rusty here. Let's be straight with you about what's on the menu for the next couple of weeks. It's a bit of a quiet stretch, and we're going to have to be patient. There's no real swell on the horizon, and the ocean is looking pretty sleepy.

The whole 16-day window is a write-off for any real surf. We're talking about a blank run that will test your patience. It’s just one of those times. The swell energy is weak, with combined energy values mostly in the single digits and low teens – for example, just 27 on Wednesday morning and peaking at a meagre 20 on the 14th of August afternoon. There's nothing with any push or power behind it.

The only spot even worth mentioning is Newcombs Hollow. It's got a consistent record but the surf itself is the problem. The swell direction is all over the place, from the E and SE, and even swinging around to the NNW or N at times, but none of it is producing any size. We're looking at ankle-biters for the foreseeable future, with the summary swell height not getting above 2ft in the whole run. It's a tough go.

Now, there are some clean, glassy mornings here and there. Early on Wednesday the 5th of August, it’s looking glassy with a light NNE breeze, but with just 2ft of SE swell at a short 7-second period, it’s not going to be worth the paddle. Saturday the 8th of August morning flirts with some glassy conditions as well, but again the swell is a tiny 1ft. We see a few offshore mornings – like on Tuesday the 11th and Wednesday the 12th – but the energy is still pathetically weak.

The swell direction is also mostly a mismatch for this spot, which ideally wants NE swell. The bigger period swells that show up late in the run, from the ESE at 9-10 seconds, are probably going to be too weak to organize anyway. And with the water temp at 68°F, that’s right about average for this time of year, so no surprises there. This is all just a lot of paddling for nothing.

When the wind does pick up from the south in the afternoons, it gets a bit cross-shore and choppy, but that hardly matters when there's no surf to mess up anyway. The wind is the only thing that looks like it might get going.

This whole period is a case of "look but don't jump in." If you’re desperate for a float, you might find a knee-high ripple, but for actual surfing, you can save your energy. The forecasts can change, so we'll keep an eye on it, but right now it’s looking like a long, flat spell.

Stay patient.

Rusty.

Read more