Nordseeklinik Westerland (Sylt) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. I’ve got to be straight with you – the 16-day window for this spot is a tough one. We’re looking at Nordseeklinik Westerland on Sylt, and honestly, there’s no good surf to recommend.

Right from the start, Monday the 10th of August is a write-off. We’ve got a 3-foot swell on the morning with a miserable 4-second period and 19 mph onshore wind. That’s just a choppy mess. The wave energy is weak (34). By afternoon, the swell bumps to 4 ft, but the period is still a paltry 5 seconds, and the wind is howling 22 mph onshore. No good.

Tuesday the 11th sees a bit more energy – swell hits 5 ft with an 8-second period, and the combined energy climbs to 322 (moderate). But again, the wind is a strong 22 mph onshore. The conditions are described as poor. The water temp is around 66°, which is about average for this time of year.

Wednesday the 12th is the only tease. The morning has a tiny 2 ft swell with a light 6 mph cross-onshore breeze – not great. But the afternoon is glassy, with a 3 mph wind and a 2 ft swell. That sounds lovely, but the swell period is only 6 seconds, the energy is a pathetic 27, and the waves are still marked as poor. There’s just no power or shape.

From there, it’s a long dry spell. Thursday the 13th through to Sunday the 17th shows swell heights dropping to less than 1 ft, or just flat, with energy under 10. There are some clean offshore winds in there, but without any swell, you’re staring at a lake. A gap of nearly a week with nothing worth paddling for.

Tuesday the 19th starts to see a little push – 3 ft swell with a 6-second period, but the wind is 19 mph cross-onshore again. Nasty.

The only flicker of hope comes on Sunday the 23rd of August. The afternoon shows a 5 ft swell from the WSW with a 6-second period, combined energy of 154 (moderate), and a moderate offshore wind from the SE at 16 mph. The comment says “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions” and scores a 1 out of 10. That’s not a recommendation. That’s just the least bad offering in a long, bleak forecast. The swell direction (WSW) is a bit off from the optimum (W), and the short period means it’ll be weak and fat.

After that, the last few days in August are all strong onshore winds over 25 mph and near gale conditions with tiny, blown-out surf.

Bottom line: This is a blank run. For Sylt, it’s not unusual to have long stretches with no surf, and the forecasts can change, but right now, you’re better off leaving the board at home. The setup here is more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing during these windy, choppy days.

Stay patient.

- Rusty

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