Pennington Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let me break this down for you.

We’re looking at a solid stretch of swell on the way for Pennington Bay, but it’s a bit of a mixed bag with the wind. Things start off clean, then get a bit messy through the middle of the week, before a big pulse of energy arrives later on. The water temp is about average for this time of year, nothing unusual.

The first real standout is the combo we see on Saturday morning, July 18th. We’ve got a clean 3ft SSW swell with a nice 14-second period and a gentle offshore breeze from the NNE. The wave energy is moderate (336), and it’s going to be really clean. This is a fantastic window for the beginner-plus crew at Pennington Bay. The sandbar setup should be handling this well, and the wind is light enough to keep it glassy. Just keep in mind, crowds are often here, so you might have some company.

Sunday morning, July 19th, is also promising. The swell drops to 1ft, but that period jumps to 20 seconds – very long-period groundswell. The wind is still offshore, moderate at 12 mph, but clean. The energy is moderate (304). This long-period swell will wrap nicely into the bay, but at a beach break like this, it might break a little straight. Still, those long gaps between sets could make it easier to paddle out.

The middle of the week from Monday July 20th through to Thursday July 23rd sees the swell slowly building, but the wind shifts to cross-off and cross-on, making conditions less than perfect. The energy picks up, hitting moderate (617) on Tuesday morning, July 21st, with a 4ft SSW swell, but the cross-off wind keeps it a bit bumpy. It’s surfable, but not the best.

Then we hit a bigger pulse on Thursday July 23rd. The swell jumps to 8ft from the S with a 14-second period. The energy is strong (2187). This is getting into the too-big-for-beginners territory, and the cross-on wind is making it choppy. The sandbar might be handling it, but the quality is marginal.

Friday July 24th through Sunday July 26th is a bit of a write-off. The swell is still solid, but the wind is either cross or strong cross-on, and the energy is strong (up to 1375). The quality is poor, and a lot of this is going to be messy. By Sunday July 26th, the wind is howling at 25 mph, making it a total mess. This setup would be more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Looking further out, the end of the month has potential. Morning of Tuesday July 28th shows a 8ft S swell with a long 16-second period, and the energy is very strong (2511). The wind is a gentle cross-shore, which is okay. This is only for experts – over 8ft is too big for most. The caveat is that long-period swell at a beach break might be a bit straight.

The best of the long-range looks is Wednesday morning July 29th, with a 5ft S swell, 13-second period, and a clean cross-off wind from the NW. The energy is moderate (866). This is a really good window for the more experienced surfers, as it’s clean and a solid size.

The final few days of the forecast, July 30th into August, are dominated by a huge pulse. Thursday July 30th sees 12ft S swell – that’s just too big for this break, even with good wind. After that, the wind turns onshore and the quality drops again. The energy is extreme (up to 4979), but it’s not for paddling.

So, my pick for the best on offer is Saturday morning, July 18th at Pennington Bay. Clean, offshore, 3ft, long period, and just a great session for the average surfer. The second best is Wednesday morning, July 29th – a bit bigger, but clean and punchy.

Rusty

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