Nordseeklinik Westerland (Sylt) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up for Nordseeklinik Westerland on Sylt over the next couple of weeks. Honestly, it’s a pretty grim run for your paddle surfing. There’s a massive gap at the start here with nothing worth getting wet for. The whole first week and a bit is basically a write-off. The swell is tiny, the wind is all over the shop, and when there is a bit of size from the 5th of August onward, the wind is howling onshore – near gale-force at times. It’s more of a kite-surfing show than a surfing one. The first real glimmer of hope isn’t until Thursday the 13th of August, and even that’s a one-session wonder.

Right, here’s how it plays out. From now through most of the first week, we’re stuck with ankle-snatchers. The water temp is sitting about average for this time of year, no major anomalies to report.

Thursday morning the 30th of July, you’ve got 0.3 ft of swell from the NW with a 8-second period, but a cross-offshore breeze from the SSW at 15 mph keeps it clean, it’s just too small to bother with. The afternoon turns to junk. This continues day after day – Friday the 31st has a bit more energy (combined energy at 35), but onshore wind and a tiny 2 ft swell isn’t going to do anything.

Then from Monday the 3rd of August, the swell tries to push up, but the wind gets nasty. By Wednesday the 5th and Thursday the 6th, the wave height hits 5 ft from the NW with moderate energy readings (148-181), but a near-gale cross-onshore wind of 31-37 mph just blows it to pieces. It’s a messy, lumpy ocean. Not for surfing. That stretch is really only of interest if you’ve got a kite.

After that, the wind calms slightly but stays onshore or cross-onshore, keeping the surf poor. The combined energy drops back to weak numbers.

Now, here’s the one standout, and it’s a long way off, so keep an eye on the forecast. Thursday the 13th of August. Morning session at Nordseeklinik Westerland. We’ve got a 5 ft NW groundswell with a 7-second period, nothing too long, but the real beauty is the wind. It’s glassy. A light breeze from the ESE at 3 mph. That’s the kind of morning you set the alarm for. The water temperature is still about average, and the combined energy is a solid 215 (moderate). This is your chance. The crowd situation can be ‘sometimes’ busy there, as it’s an exposed spot, but with clean, glassy conditions, the wait will be worth it. The afternoon goes onshore again, so it’s a narrow window.

That Thursday morning is the only true standout. After that, Friday the 14th is back to choppy cross-onshore junk. So, one decent morning in a 16-day spread. It’s been poor, but it tends not to stay flat forever here. Forecasts can change.

Rusty.

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