Pelican Watch Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, let’s have a look at what’s on offer for Pelican Watch over the next couple of weeks.

To be straight with you, the next few days are pretty flat. There’s a real gap in quality surf here. The first few days of the forecast are giving us tiny, weak waves – we’re talking 1 ft to 2 ft from the ESE with a short period of 8 seconds. The combined energy is weak (36 and 26), and the wind is all over the shop, mostly cross or cross-off, but it’s just not enough to get excited about. It’s more of a lake paddle than a surf. You’d be wasting your time.

Things start to look a little more interesting from Wednesday the 29th of July. We see a slight bump in swell, up to 3 ft from the SSE, but the period drops to a short 6 seconds, so the energy is still low (59). The wind on Wednesday morning is a light cross-off from the NNW, and the surf is rideable, but it’s ordinary. Nothing to write home about. Thursday the 30th of July morning is the first real glimmer of hope. The wind goes glassy, from the NW at 5 km/h, and we’ve got 3 ft from the S on a 6-second period. The energy is moderate (52). It’s clean, but the waves are still weak and short period. It’ll be a fun little session for a beginner on a foamie, but not much else.

The real standout, and the only day I’d genuinely mark on the calendar, is Sunday the 2nd of August. The swell picks up to 4 ft from the SSE with a 7-second period, and the combined energy jumps to a moderate 139 on the afternoon. The wind is cross-off from the SSW, so the conditions will be clean. It’s a beach break, so with that short period, it’ll be a bit dumpy, but for a beginner to intermediate spot, this is the best we’re going to get in this window. The morning of Sunday the 2nd is also decent, with 3 ft and 75 energy, but the afternoon has the better size.

Monday the 3rd of August morning has offshore wind from the WSW at 20 km/h, with 4 ft from the S and 134 energy. The conditions are clean, but the wave comment is still just “surfable but very ordinary”. It’s borderline.

Then we hit a big dry spell. From Tuesday the 4th right through to Saturday the 8th of August, the swell drops back to tiny, weak waves, mostly under 3 ft. The energy is consistently low, and the wind is cross-off, so it’s clean but flat. Not worth a paddle.

There is a late flash in the pan on Sunday the 9th of August. The swell jumps to 6 ft from the SE on a 9-second period. That’s a solid size, and the energy is strong (612). For a beginner spot like Pelican Watch, 6 ft is pushing it, and the cross-shore wind from the S at 20 km/h will create some chop. This is more of a looker than a surfer for most, and it’s likely too big for beginners. The 5 ft on the afternoon is still chunky but with the same cross-shore wind, it’s not clean.

The water temperature is about average for the time of year, so no surprises there.

To be honest, Pelican Watch is a fairly consistent break, but the quality just isn’t there in this 16-day window. It’s a frustrating run of small, weak swell and average winds. The best bet is Sunday the 2nd of August afternoon for a clean, rideable wave. The Sunday the 9th of August has size, but it’s messy and big. For a beginner, stick to the 2nd. For a more experienced surfer, maybe give the 9th a look, but don’t expect much.

Rusty.

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