Pelican Watch Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, it’s Rusty here, and I’ve got to say, this outlook is a bit of a tough one. The next 16 days at Pelican Watch are looking at a real stretch of small, weak surf. We’re looking at a long gap of flat, unimpressive conditions before we see even a glimmer of something rideable.

The water temperature is 82°F, with an anomaly of -0.5°F, which is pretty much exactly average for this time of year, so at least a dip won’t be a shock.

The first session that’s even worth paddling out for is on the morning of Friday, August 7th. You’ll be looking at a tiny 2 ft swell from the southeast. The wave energy is a mere 53, so it’s weak. The wind is a light cross-off, so it’ll be clean, but honestly, it’s more of a float than a surf. The period is only 7 seconds, so it’s a short-period, weak windswell. It’s surfable, but it’s very ordinary.

This pattern of small, clean but gutless waves continues through the weekend. The highlight, if you can call it that, is the morning of Sunday, August 9th, with the same 2 ft SE swell, but again, the energy is low (55) and the period is short (7 seconds). The wind is light and cross-off, so it’ll be clean, but it’s just not doing much.

Then we hit a real dead zone. From Monday morning, August 10th, through to Thursday morning, August 14th, the wave heights drop right off into the 0.7 ft to 1 ft range. The energy values are scraping the bottom of the barrel, often in the low teens. Honestly, unless you’re on a longboard and just want to feel the water, it’s not worth the drive.

The morning of Friday, August 14th, has a tiny spike of 3 ft from the south, but still with only 6-second period and a score that’s not good. The afternoon goes completely glassy and flat. Not a surfer’s moment.

The only real stand-out, and I say this with a heavy heart, is the morning of Tuesday, August 18th. We finally get a touch of quality. The swell is still only 2 ft from the southeast, but the period stretches out to 9 seconds, giving it a bit more shape. The combined energy is 69, which is still weak. But the wind is offshore from the WSW, so it’ll be clean and groomed. The morning of Thursday, August 20th is similar, with a 2 ft SE swell, a 10-second period, and the energy is the highest of the whole run at 99. The wind is very light and cross-off, so it’ll be almost glassy. These are the best on offer, but they are still small, weak days.

For a beginner, this is a good stretch. The swell never gets above 3 ft, so it’s never too big. The crowds at Pelican Watch are “often” a factor, so you’ll have company, but for these tiny waves, most people will probably stay home.

This is a classic run of poor conditions for this area. It’s a blank run that’s pretty normal when the trade winds shut off. We’re scraping the barrel for any rideable wave. Keep your eye on the charts, but don’t hold your breath.

Rusty.

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