Point Arena Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, let’s have a look at what Point Arena has in store for us. I’m Rusty, and I’m gonna break it down straight.

First up, we’ve got a real mixed bag here. The opening days of the outlook are a tough sell—lots of swell but the wind is just not playing ball. The water temp is nothing out of the ordinary for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The week kicks off on Wednesday the 29th of July. There’s some chest to head-high swell (7ft to 8ft) out of the NW with a short, crumbly period of 7-8 seconds. The problem is a stiff NNW wind at 22 mph, giving us a cross-off wind that leaves the surface messy. Combine that with only moderate wave energy, and it’s a washout. Not worth paddling out.

Thursday the 30th and Friday the 31st are more of the same—consistent NW swell around the 7-8ft mark, but the wind stays stubborn from the NW, keeping things cross-off and scrappy. The energy creeps up a bit but the quality is poor.

Now, Saturday the 1st of August is where it gets interesting, but maybe too interesting. The morning is still rubbish with an 8ft NW swell and 22 mph NNW wind. But by the afternoon, the swell pumps up to a solid 12ft out of the NW, and the wind jumps to 25 mph—strong breeze. The wave energy is strong, and the waves are clean, but here’s the kicker: that’s too big for most folks at this break. This is big-wave territory only, for experts. For the average surfer, it’s a pass.

Sunday the 2nd of August is even bigger—13ft out of the NW with a 10-second period and very strong energy. Same story: clean conditions on the surface but way too much water moving around. Only seasoned chargers should even think about it.

Monday the 3rd of August sees the swell drop to 10ft (still a lot) with a longer 10-second period, but the wind switches to a gentle cross-shore. The energy is still high. The wave comment calls it marginal, with a cross-chop forming. It’s a step in the right direction, but not yet firing.

Here’s the standout window: Tuesday the 4th of August. In the morning, it’s a bit junky with an 8ft NW swell and a light cross-on wind, but hold onto your board for the afternoon. The swell drops a touch to 7ft from the NW with a solid 9-second period, and the wind goes *glassy*—WNW at just 3 mph. That’s as clean as it gets. The wave energy is moderate, and the wave comment says “expect very good surf conditions.” This is the pick of the whole outlook. Head-high, clean, groomed lines at Point Arena. Crowds are *often* an issue here, so get out early or late if you can.

After that, the surf fades through the second week. Wednesday the 5th through Sunday the 9th of August sees the swell slowly dropping from 8ft down to 5ft, with mostly cross or cross-off winds. The energy stays moderate but the wave quality gets poor, with only a couple of marginal windows. Monday the 10th of August is a write-off with a measly 5ft, 9-second swell and poor conditions.

Then there’s a little blip on Wednesday the 12th of August. The morning is flat and weak (5ft, 8-second period, poor), but the afternoon throws a curveball—a 3ft swell from the SW with a *very long* 17-second period. Wave energy jumps to moderate. The period is so long, it’ll draw up some lined-up, powerful waves, but because it’s a beach/reef setup, that long-period energy can make it break straight and be a bit tricky. A light wind keeps it rideable. Not a standout, but a novelty for the patient.

Thursday the 13th of August sees a tiny 3ft SW swell with a 16-second period and light cross-on wind. It’s marginal.

Overall, the best on offer is the afternoon of Tuesday the 4th of August. That glassy NW swell with head-high sets and clean conditions is the one to circle on your calendar. For the rest, it’s a lot of windblown, oversized, or just poor-quality surf. Be patient, pick your moment, and don’t force it.

Stay stoked,
Rusty

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