Ocean Beach Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ve gotta be straight with you – this 16-day stretch is a tough one. The swell’s ticking over, but it’s small and the wind ain’t playing ball. We’re looking at a whole lot of poor conditions for weeks, with only a few fleeting moments that might be worth a paddle. The water temp’s sitting around 75°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year – a solid 7° above average, so you can leave the thick rubber at home.

The only break we’ve got to work with is Ocean Beach Pier, a beach and reef setup that’s exposed to the west and picks up that long-period SW groundswell. The swell’s running long, over 15 seconds most days, which means better-shaped waves but with longer lulls between sets. The issue is the wind – mostly onshore or cross-onshore from the west and northwest, putting a chop on it and making these marginal days feel even smaller. There’s no standout session here; it’s all pretty average.

Let’s run through it. Wednesday afternoon the 12th kicks off with 3 ft of SW swell at 16 seconds, but with a 9 mph onshore wind and a combined wave energy reading of 368 (moderate), it’s poor. Thursday the 13th morning is slightly better – 2 ft swell, 6 mph cross-onshore, energy at 341 – but still marginal. Thursday afternoon bumps to 3 ft and 440 energy, but wind stays onshore. Friday the 14th is small at 2 ft, with a long 18-second period, so there’ll be long waits between waves, and the wind keeps it messy. The weekend – Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th – sees a slight bump to 3 ft and 3 ft, but wind picks up to 12 mph, making it choppy and poor.

From Monday 17th right through to the start of the second week, it’s the same story: tiny 2 ft to 3 ft swell, mostly onshore or cross-onshore breezes, and energy readings dropping from the 300s down to the low 100s. There are several days with no real recommendation – just a string of zeros and ones. The most promising spots come late in the window. On Wednesday 26th August, we see 3 ft to 3 ft of SW swell with lighter 6 mph onshore wind and moderate energy (357 to 451) – clean enough for a longboard if you’re patient. Then Thursday 27th August morning jumps to 4 ft with a 14-second period, and a light cross-onshore wind from the northwest at just 6 mph. The energy hits 571 (moderate-to-strong), which is the best of the whole outlook. This is the closest thing to a highlight, but it’s still only rated marginal, so don’t get your hopes up.

Because the swell stays under 5 ft the whole time, beginners won’t be out of their depth size-wise, but the onshore chop and long periods could make it tricky. If the wind ever swung offshore, this spot would turn on, but it doesn’t. For now, it’s a kite surfer’s dream more than a paddle surfer’s. Don’t lose faith, though – forecasts can change.

Rusty.

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