Point Arena Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming down the pipe for Point Arena. This is a call for the patient surfer, or maybe the one who doesn’t mind a bit of a chop for a small window. We’re looking at a long stretch ahead, so buckle up.

The first week is pretty much a write-off for any decent paddle surfing. From Tuesday the 25th right through the end of August, the swell is either tiny or the wind is just messy. We’ve got a persistent NW wind, mostly cross or cross-off, which keeps the surface clean-ish, but the energy is weak. The combined swell energy is sitting in the low to mid hundreds, never really getting past a moderate pulse. The water is a bit colder than normal for this time of year, sitting around 56°.

The first real flicker of life comes on Sunday the 30th of August. We’ve got some swell from the NW at 8ft, but the period is a short, windswell-like 8 seconds. The wind is cross, so it’s not clean. It’s a bit of a messy, dumpy day. Probably not worth the drive.

Then we hit a dry spell. Monday the 31st sees the swell drop back, and the first few days of September are flat and weak. The energy is in the double digits, barely a ripple. It’s a proper lull.

The action starts to pick up again on Thursday the 3rd of September. The afternoon shows a 7ft NW swell, but the wind is a fresh 19 mph cross-off. It’s clean, but it’s strong. The energy is moderate (307). Not a standout, but at least there’s something to look at.

Now, the true standout, and the one that got my heart pumping, is the weekend of the 6th and 7th of September. Sunday the 6th of September afternoon is a beast. The forecast shows a 15ft NW groundswell with a period of 10 seconds. The combined energy is a massive 3944 – that’s a serious amount of power. The wind is a gentle 9 mph cross-off, which is about as good as it gets. The report says it’s too big for this break, and I have to agree. At 15ft, this is strictly for the experts. This is a big, heavy reef setup, and it’s going to be a sight to see. The Monday the 7th of September is similar, with a 12ft to 13ft swell and the same energy. The wind is light cross-on, which will put a bit of a texture on the face. The water is still cold, and the anomaly is gone from the data, so pretty average for early September.

After that surge, things settle down a bit. Tuesday the 8th and Wednesday the 9th of September still have some size, 7ft to 5ft, but the wind is now onshore or cross-on, making it choppy. The energy is dropping back to moderate.

So, to sum it up: the first week and a half is a blank. Ignore it. The only real target is that massive swell window on the 6th and 7th of September. That’s the one. If you’re a grom or a weekend warrior, sit this one out. If you’re a charger and you’ve got the quiver for it, that Sunday afternoon is the only call on the board. The week after that is a slow fade.

Stay safe out there.

Rusty

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