Pelican Watch Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for the next stretch.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – this is a rough run. The forecast for Pelican Watch is pretty much a bust for the first few days. We’re looking at a long quiet spell with hardly anything worth paddling out for. From Monday the 27th right through to the end of July, it’s all tiny, weak stuff with poor conditions. You’re getting waves around 1 ft to 3 ft, but the wind is messy, mostly cross or cross-off, and the energy is just sad – we’re talking combined swell energy readings barely creeping into the 30s and 40s. It’s not surfable in any meaningful way.

The first hint of something bigger comes on Wednesday the 29th of July, with a little pulse of 3 ft from the south, but it’s only got a 6-second period so it’s just lumpy and weak. Energy is still low at 63. Not worth the drive.

You’ll have to wait all the way until Sunday the 2nd of August before the swell finally starts to show some life. On Sunday afternoon, a 4 ft southeast swell rolls in with a bit more push, and the combined energy jumps to 116. That’s moderate, but the wind is a fresh cross-off from the southwest at 19 mph. It’s clean, but the swell is short period (7 seconds) and the break is exposed. It’s not great for a beginner – 4 ft with that wind and short period might be a bit of a handful for the less experienced. Still, the best we’ve seen.

Monday the 3rd of August builds on that; the afternoon sees 4 ft from the south-southwest with energy hitting 174. Wind is cross-off from the southwest at 16 mph. It’s the biggest swell of the whole run, but still short period at 6 seconds. For a beach break, that’s going to be a bit fat and dumpy. Honestly, this setup might be more interesting for the kite surfers than paddle surfers, given the wind and the sloppy, short-period swell.

Throughout the rest of the first week of August and into the second week, the swell just drops off again. You’re back to 1 ft to 2 ft, tiny energy numbers (14, 18, 20), and the wind is either cross-off or cross-on. There’s really nothing to get excited about.

If I had to pick the best of a bad bunch, it’d be Monday the 3rd of August afternoon at Pelican Watch. That 4 ft south-southwest swell is the biggest you’ll see, and the wind is clean. But I can’t call it a standout – it’s short period, the crowd factor is listed as “often,” so you won’t be alone, and the shape isn’t going to be anything special. It’s just the only window where the water’s moving.

The water temperature on the first day of the forecast is 84°, with an anomaly of 0.7°, so it’s pretty much normal for this time of year – warm and tropical.

So, bottom line: this is a long, dry stretch. The surf is small, weak, and poorly timed. If you’re desperate, you might get a couple of average waves on the 3rd of August, but don’t hold your breath. Forecasts can change, but right now, it’s a waiting game.

Rusty.

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