Pelican Watch Surf Break

Lat Long: 34.04° N 77.89° W

Pelican Watch Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 1 am 05 Sep 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Pelican Watch sea temperature is
28.5°C
1.0° 

Pelican Watch surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Pelican Watch surf forecast from 5 Sep 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Thursday 10 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 7s period, ESE swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Monday 7 Sep, 11PM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 7s period, E swell with 419 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 10 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 7s period with ESE swell.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Pelican Watch this week:

The surf forecast for Pelican Watch over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Thursday (Sep 10) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 7s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 9s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Pelican Watch in the next 16 days are 2.0m 7s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 07) at 11PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.1m 4s period and expected on Saturday (Sep 05) at 8PM.

Wave TypeTime (EDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 2AM (Thu 10th Sep)3ft (0.9m) 7s
Best Surf 2AM (Thu 10th Sep)3ft (0.9m) 7s
Most Powerful11PM (Mon 7th Sep)6.5ft (2.0m) 7s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Pelican Watch over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you – this outlook is a tough one to write. I’ve looked at the whole 16-day window, and the honest truth is, there’s nothing to get excited about.

The Overall Pattern
We’re looking at a long, frustrating stretch of poor surf. The first surfable waves don’t even show up until Sunday, September 13th, and even then, it’s barely a tickle. We’ve got a solid gap of about eight days from the start of the period with absolutely nothing worth paddling out for. The wind is mostly a mess, and when the swell does try to show, it’s usually coming from the wrong direction or getting torn up by onshore breezes.

The Wait
From now through to Saturday, September 12th, it’s a write-off. The wind is all over the place – onshore, cross-onshore, or just plain strong – and the swell is tiny, with heights mostly under 2 ft. The combined wave energy is in the weak, two-digit range (14, 7, 34, 14... you get the picture). It’s just not happening.

The "Best" on Offer
Finally, on Sunday morning, September 13th, we get a tiny window. The spot is Pelican Watch. The swell is a pathetic 2 ft from the SE with a period of 9 seconds. The combined energy is still weak at 97. The only saving grace is a light WNW breeze that’s offshore, keeping it clean. The water temp is sitting at a warm 83°, which is about 2° warmer than normal for this time of year, so at least you won’t be cold while you’re staring at the flat water. But honestly, this is “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions” – and that’s being generous. It’s a beginner break, so if you’re learning, you might get a knee-high roller, but don’t expect much.

The Second Week
The rest of the run is a continuation of the same story. The swell direction shifts to the ENE, and the heights struggle to get over 5 ft, but the wind stays stubbornly cross-onshore from the NE or ENE. By Thursday, September 17th, and Friday, September 18th, we see some bigger numbers – 6 ft and 8 ft – with combined energy climbing into the strong range (595 on the 18th). But the wind is just never right. It’s onshore or cross-onshore, turning what could be a decent-sized swell into a choppy, lumpy mess. For a beach break, that setup is more interesting for the kite surfers than for us paddle surfers.

The Bottom Line
There is no standout session. There is no “best day” to recommend. The whole 16-day window is a blank run for quality surf. Pelican Watch is your only hope, and even that is a 1/10 on a good day. Forecasts can change, but right now, I’d save your energy and wax for another time.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Heavy rain (total 43mm), heaviest during Sat night. Warm (max 32°C on Sat afternoon, min 24°C on Sat night). Mainly fresh winds.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Some drizzle, heaviest during Tue morning. Warm (max 30°C on Thu afternoon, min 24°C on Wed morning). Wind will be generally light.

Saturday
5
Sunday
6
Monday
7
Tuesday
8
Wednesday
9
Thursday
10
Friday
11
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.3
ESE
8
0.2
ESE
8
0.8
S
5
0.4
S
5
0.3
ESE
9
1.3
E
5
1.4
E
6
1.8
E
6
1.9
E
7
1.7
E
7
1.5
E
7
1.2
ESE
7
1.3
ESE
7
1
ESE
7
0.9
ESE
7
0.7
ESE
6
0.4
SE
8
0.6
SW
5
1.3
ENE
6
1.2
E
6
1.2
E
5
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
12
6
32
7
16
92
123
245
392
298
233
143
161
88
70
37
23
17
102
98
77
Wind (km/h)
15
WSW
25
SW
20
SE
10
N
15
E
20
ENE
25
ENE
30
ENE
25
ENE
30
ENE
25
ENE
15
E
15
ENE
15
ESE
10
SSW
10
WSW
20
SW
25
SW
15
WSW
20
SSW
15
ENE
Wind State
off
cross-off
cross-on
cross
on
on
cross-on
on
cross-on
cross-on
on
on
on
cross-on
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
on
High Tide
3:10PM1.61m
3:27AM1.12m
4:20PM1.64m
4:38AM1.18m
5:23PM1.68m
5:42AM1.29m
6:19PM1.70m
6:39AM1.41m
7:10PM1.71m
7:30AM1.51m
7:57PM1.68m
8:18AM1.59m
8:41PM1.62m
Low Tide
8:08AM0.10m
9:41PM0.25m
9:21AM0.09m
10:47PM0.21m
10:32AM0.05m
11:44PM0.14m
11:37AM0.00m
00:35AM0.08m
12:36PM-0.04m
1:20AM0.02m
1:30PM-0.05m
2:03AM-0.01m
2:21PM-0.05m
2:43AM-0.01m
clear
clear
thunderstorm
part cloud
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
part cloud
clear
part cloud
rain showers
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
thunderstorm
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:47
6:48
6:48
6:48
6:50
6:50
6:50
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
7:31
7:30
7:29
7:28
7:27
7:24
7:23
 mm
30
4
9
1
10
Temp °C
30
32
28
27
27
26
26
27
26
26
27
26
26
27
26
28
30
27
30
31
27
Feels °C
32
33
29
31
29
27
24
24
24
25
25
25
27
28
28
30
30
28
31
31
29
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
Map placeholder
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Information about the Pelican Watch Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Pelican Watch provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Pelican Watch can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Pelican Watch surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Pelican Watch) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).

Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Pelican Watch may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.

Pelican Watch is 26 km (16 miles) from the city of Wilmington. If you plan a vacation in North Carolina, look for hotels and other accommodation in Wilmington. Wilmington has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.

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