Oswald State Park/Short Sands Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty, and I’m looking at the 16-day picture for Oswald State Park/Short Sands. It’s a tough one, folks. Right off the bat, the first recommendation isn’t until Monday, July 27th, but even then, the waves are small and the wind is messy. We’ve got a long, drawn-out stretch ahead with no real standouts.

The first action kicks off on Monday, July 27th, with a small SW swell around 3ft. The period is a long 18 seconds, which is promising for shape, but it’s all cross-onshore, light, but still onshore, and the combined swell energy is moderate (475). It’s not great, just light wind ripples and a poor surf condition call. Tuesday and Wednesday keep that same cross-onshore wind, with a tiny, long-period swell. It’s marginal at best, with a moderate combined energy (515-552) but the quality is just not there.

Thursday the 30th through the end of July stays small and cross-onshore. The swell drops to 2ft and the period shortens, and the combined energy falls off to weak levels (186-308). Friday the 31st gets a bit more wind, a moderate cross-shore breeze, but the swell is still tiny.

Then we hit a weird patch. Saturday, August 1st, the swell direction shifts to the west, and the period crashes to just 8 seconds. That’s short-period, weak windswell. The combined energy is weak (153-161), and the wind is still ruining it. This continues right through to the second week. By Monday, August 3rd, the swell bumps up a bit to 4-5ft, but it’s still short-period (7-8 seconds), cross-onshore, and choppy. The combined energy creeps back to moderate (300-325), but the quality is still “poor.” Honestly, this is looking more like a kitesurfing setup than a paddle session, with the strong cross-shore winds and short, bumpy waves.

The second week stays bleak. Swell sizes flirt with 5ft on August 5th and 6th, but the period stays short and the wind is onshore or cross-onshore. There’s a brief moment on Thursday, August 6th, where the wind goes light and onshore with a 5ft NW swell, but the period is still a paltry 8 seconds—just lumpy, weak energy (358). It’s a no-go for quality waves.

The last few days, August 8th through the 11th, are a mix of small, long-period swells and short-period junk. The morning of August 9th has a small 2ft, 17-second W swell with light cross-onshore wind (338 energy), which is better than most, but it’s still not a recommendation for a proper session. The whole run is a gap of poor conditions. There are no true standouts here. For a beginner spot, it’s not a total disaster, but for anyone looking for a decent wave, the whole 16 days is a wash. Forecasts can change, but right now, it’s just not happening.

Stay patient, and keep an eye on the charts.
Rusty

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