Pon. Inlet Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here again, and we’re looking at a long stretch of flat water at Pon. Inlet (PonceInlet). This is a beach/jetty setup, and for the next 16 days we’re staring at a whole lot of nothing. The first few days are a total washout – tiny waves, weak energy, and poor surf. The first real surfable suggestion doesn’t show up until Wednesday the 26th of August, and even then it’s only a 1 out of 10 session. So we’ve got a gap of about a week of near-nothing.

Water temp is about normal for this time of year, nothing unusual.

Tuesday the 18th: clear skies, but only 1ft to 2ft of swell, period around 8-11 seconds, and the combined energy is a weak 48 to 59 (moderate energy). Wind is cross-off, so it’s clean, but the waves are just too small. Poor surf.

Wednesday the 19th: glassy morning with 1ft, period 10 seconds, energy a measly 33. Still poor. Afternoon gets a little cross-shore chop but still tiny.

Thursday the 20th: offshore wind in the morning, 1ft, 8-second period, energy 25. Clean but no push. Afternoon gets worse with cross-shore wind and only 1ft.

Friday the 21st: offshore morning, 1ft, 8-second period, energy 19. Still poor. Afternoon gets a moderate cross-shore breeze and chop.

Saturday the 22nd: morning is clean with offshore wind, 1ft, 9-second period, energy 20. Afternoon picks up a little – 3ft, but it’s a long-period 13-second groundswell from the ESE, and energy jumps to 244 (moderate to strong). Still, the report says poor surf conditions. That long period might make it break a bit straight for this beach/jetty, but it’s the biggest we’ve seen.

Sunday the 23rd: back to 1ft, 8-second period, energy 30. Clean but flat. Afternoon has 1ft, 12-second period, energy 67.

Monday the 24th: glassy morning, 0.7ft, 12-second period, energy 28. Nope. Afternoon gets a messy 3ft but with a 4-second period – that’s short-period windswell, energy 55, and cross-shore chop. Not good.

Tuesday the 25th: morning 1ft, 8-second period, energy 26. Afternoon 3ft, 3-second period – that’s basically wind bumps, energy 34.

Now, Wednesday the 26th of August: here’s our first real standout, but it’s still only a 1 out of 10. Morning is clean, offshore wind, 2ft of swell, period a very long 16 seconds, energy 151 (moderate). That’s a groundswell. For a beach/jetty, that long period might make it break a bit straight, but it’s the best we’ve got. Afternoon gets 2ft, 15-second period, energy 234 but cross-shore wind.

Thursday the 27th: morning clean, cross-off wind, 2ft, 13-second period, energy 192. Afternoon offshore wind, 2ft, 12-second period, energy 191. Still poor conditions in the file, but it’s the most consistent little bump.

Friday the 28th: morning 2ft, 11-second period, energy 119. Afternoon offshore, 2ft, 10-second period, energy 101. Still poor.

After that, the last few days of August and into early September are all onshore wind, tiny waves, and poor surf. The 1st of September has a glassy morning with 1ft, but it’s just too small.

So, the best of a bad bunch is centered around Wednesday the 26th through Friday the 28th of August. If you’re a beginner and desperate for a paddle, the cleanest windows are the morning of the 26th with that 2ft, 16-second groundswell, or the afternoons of the 27th and 28th with 2ft waves and offshore wind. But honestly, this is a kite-surfing kind of setup for most of the forecast – the waves are too small for proper surfing, and the few times we get a little bump, the wind or period is off. It’s a flat spell, and it’s normal for this area to have blank runs. Stay optimistic, though – forecasts change.

Rusty.

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