Oyster Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, looking at the next few weeks at Oyster Bay. Let’s be straight, this sandbar is a fickle one, and it’s inconsistent. The water is a bone-chilling 58°F, which is a massive 8°F colder than normal for this time of year. You’ll need a serious wetsuit.

The first part of the forecast is rough. Thursday the 20th sees a massive pulse of swell, with a combined energy of 5803, but the wind is all wrong, cross-onshore and choppy, and the swell is a monstrous 13ft from the SW. It’s just too big and messy for this spot. Hard pass.

Friday the 21st morning offers a small window. The wind is light and cross-offshore from the ENE, and the swell drops to a cleaner 8ft from the SW. The energy is still strong (1616), but it’s clean. This is the first real chance for experienced surfers – the size is over 5ft, so it’s not for beginners.

Saturday the 22nd is a total write-off with near-gale winds. Sunday the 23rd and Monday the 24th are marginal, with light cross-onshore winds making for bumpy conditions on a 8ft to 7ft swell. Nothing to write home about.

Now, Tuesday the 25th is the big one. The morning has a clean cross-offshore wind from the ENE, with a solid 8ft swell from the SW. The afternoon is the standout: a clean east wind, the swell pumping at 10ft with a very long 16-second period, and energy hitting 5712. It’s a beast. The file says it’s too big for this break, and at over 8ft, that’s expert-only. For the right crew, it’s a monster session, but heavy.

Wednesday the 26th morning is the best bet for the average surfer. A true offshore wind from the NNE, light and glassy. The swell is a much friendlier 5ft from the SSW. It’s clean, it’s small, and it’s good. That’s your window.

After that, it’s a long, grim run. From Thursday the 27th through the first week of September, it’s almost all onshore wind and messy surf. There are flashes, like the morning of the 30th of August with a clean cross-offshore wind, but the swell is 10ft again – too big. The 2nd of September has a clean cross-shore wind and a 8ft, 15-second swell, but it’s listed as marginal.

The 3rd of September is another big-wave day. A massive 13ft SW swell with a 14-second period, clean cross-offshore wind from the east, and energy of 5390. It’s a “too big for this break” call again. A spectacle for the experts, but not for the faint of heart.

The Bottom Line: For the gnarliest, heaviest waves, aim for Tuesday the 25th of August afternoon and Wednesday the 3rd of September morning – expert only. For the best all-around clean surf that’s actually surfable, Wednesday the 26th of August morning is the clear winner. Crowds are listed as “sometimes,” so you might have company. Everything else is a battle with the wind or the size.

Rusty.

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