Penhale Surf Forecast and Surf Report

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

I gotta be straight with you – it’s a grim stretch ahead. We’re looking at a long, long run of nothing much to get excited about. The good news? There’s hardly any gap at the start, but that’s because the first recommendation is a bit of a dud right out of the gate. The bad news is this flat spell looks set to last for days on end.

Let’s start with Penhale. This is your only real option on the card, and it’s a tough one. The water’s a touch warmer than usual for this time of year at 65°F, which is nice, but that’s about the only positive.

Tuesday the 21st of July kicks off with a tiny 1ft swell from the WNW, but the wind is a messy cross-shore from the N at 12 mph. The combined energy is a weak 69, and it’s just poor. No point paddling out.

Wednesday the 22nd sees a bump in size to 4ft from the N, but the period is a gutless 5 seconds, and the energy is still only 83. The morning is clean, but the swell is so weak and short-period it’s barely a ripple.

Thursday morning the 23rd is the closest thing to a “standout” in this whole outlook, and I use that word loosely. We’ve got a 3ft swell from the NNW, a clean cross-off breeze from the NNE at 3 mph, and the energy is a flat 78. The wave comment even says “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions.” It’s the best of a bad bunch, but it’s still tiny and weak.

After that, it’s a total wipeout. From Friday the 24th of July right through to Wednesday the 5th of August, every single session is marked as poor surf conditions. The swell tries to build a little around the 26th and 27th of July, hitting 5ft from the WNW, but the wind is a howling onshore or cross-onshore mess, up to 19 mph. The energy climbs to 276, but it’s just a choppy, lumpy, onshore slop. This is a setup that looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Even into the first week of August, the story doesn’t change. The 1st and 2nd of August have a bit more energy (up to 356), but it’s still onshore and ugly. The only clean conditions return briefly on the 4th of August, but by then the swell has dropped to a pathetic 2ft from the W.

Frankly, if you’re desperate for a paddle, Thursday morning the 23rd is your only real shot, and that’s saying something. Otherwise, leave the board in the shed and wait for a better forecast.

Rusty.

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