North Jetty at Eureka Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up for our stretch of coast.

Honestly, the next week and a half is a bit of a write-off. We’ve got a long stretch of poor conditions and marginal surf ahead, so don’t be in a rush to grab your board. The first real glimmer of hope doesn’t show up until the very end of the run.

North Jetty at Eureka is a fairly consistent beach/jetty setup, but it’s getting hammered by cross-onshore winds and choppy conditions for days. The water temp is sitting at 58°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The whole first week, from Wednesday the 26th of August right through to the end of the month, is a bust. You’ve got tiny little 2ft to 3ft swells from the SW with a long period of 16 seconds, but it’s mostly poor surf with light cross-onshore breezes making a mess of things. The energy is weak to moderate (292–415), and the scores are flat. Not worth paddling out.

Into the first week of September, it’s more of the same. Some NW swell pushes through, but the wind never really cleans up. The swell heights get a little bigger – up to 6ft on the 4th – but it’s still cross-onshore and choppy. The energy climbs a bit (486–509), but the quality is still poor. You’ll be fighting the wind more than the waves.

Then, finally, a bit of a pulse arrives around the 7th and 8th of September. We’re looking at a solid 7ft to 10ft NW swell, with a moderate period of 9 seconds. The energy is strong (756–1382), and the wind is light, but it’s still cross-onshore. The surf is still marginal due to tide or conditions, but it’s the most energy we’ve seen. The wave state is light cross-onshore with small wind ripples, so it’s not clean, but it’s the best of a bad bunch.

The standout – if you can call it that – is the morning of Tuesday the 8th of September. That 8ft NW swell with light cross-onshore wind gives the best chance of a few rideable waves. The following day, Wednesday the 9th, sees the swell peak at 12ft from the NNW, but that’s getting big for a beach/jetty, and with a 9-second period, it’ll be a bit of a mess. That’s really only for the experienced crew, and even then, the wind is starting to pick up.

For the rest of the run, it’s a long wait. The 10th of September brings another 10ft swell, but again, it’s not clean. Overall, the best bet is that Tuesday the 8th, but keep your expectations low – it’s still a marginal call.

Rusty.

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