North Jetty at Eureka Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you: the next couple of weeks at North Jetty at Eureka are going to test your patience. We’ve got a run of poor, choppy conditions dominating the forecast, with only a couple of brief windows that might get you half-keen. There’s a gap of a few days at the start where it’s just not worth paddling out. Hang tight, because nothing here is screaming “go now,” but there are a couple of periods that could offer something if you’re desperate.

The opening stretch, from Monday the 17th through Friday the 21st, is pretty ordinary. Swell is up and down, mostly short-period windswell around 7 seconds, and the wind is onshore or cross-onshore most of the time. Monday afternoon has 5ft of NNW swell but it’s poor. Tuesday and Wednesday are similar – a bit more size (5ft to 6ft) but the cross-onshore breeze chops it up. The combined energy is moderate, hitting 575 on Wednesday morning, but it’s not doing you any favors. Thursday and Friday drop right off – 3ft down to 2ft with weak energy readings (344 down to 155). Not worth the effort.

Saturday the 22nd has a brief pulse – Saturday afternoon bumps up to 6ft of NW swell, but again, the wind is cross-onshore and it’s messy. The water temp on Monday was 56°, which is about average for this time of year, so nothing wild there. Sunday the 23rd morning is the first time things look slightly more interesting: 7ft of NW swell with a light breeze, energy climbing to 763 – that’s moderate-strong. It’s still a beach/jetty setup, and with that size it’s pushing into the intermediate zone, but the wind is onshore, so it’ll be lumpy. The afternoon drops a bit but stays cross-onshore.

Then we hit a real lull. From Monday the 24th through to early the following week, the swell drops out – 2ft – and the period stretches out long, 15 to 18 seconds. That’s a groundswell, but there’s just no size. The energy readings are moderate at best (377 down to 287), and it’s marginal at most. Not a single standout in this stretch. The wind is light but mostly onshore or cross, so it’s just flat and uninviting.

The last few days of the window, from Friday the 28th into September, we get a bit of a pick-up. Friday the 28th morning has 5ft of NW swell, but it’s cross-onshore with a moderate breeze by afternoon – choppy. Saturday the 29th is smaller, 4ft, and again messy. Then it backs right off again, with 1ft on Sunday the 30th.

The one bright spot, if you can call it that, is Tuesday the 1st of September. Tuesday morning shows 5ft of NNW swell with a light cross-shore breeze, and the afternoon cleans up a touch – 6ft, light airs, and the energy reading climbs to 567. It’s still marginal, but if you’re a local who knows the jetty, this might be your best bet. Just keep expectations low – this is a spot that needs a lot of things to line up, and they’re not lining up often.

So, no real standouts here. If you’re a beginner, most of the bigger days (over 5ft) are too much, and the cleaner days are too small. If you’re an expert, the long-period groundswell days with no size aren’t worth the drive. The setup at North Jetty is a beach/jetty, and with the wind patterns we’re seeing, it’s honestly more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing on a few of those choppier afternoons. Crowds are possible on any halfway decent day, but with this forecast, you’ll likely have it to yourself. Still, forecasts can shift, and if the wind swings offshore, this place can turn on. Keep an eye on it.

Rusty.

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