Right and Left Side Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, looking at the next couple of weeks for *Right and Left Side*, a reef break that’s pretty exposed. Let’s break it down.

The first week is a bit of a chore. From Saturday the 8th through the 17th, the wind is a pain in the neck. It’s mostly cross or cross-onshore, with a solid 12 to 19 mph breeze, making the surface lumpy and choppy. The swell sits around 7 ft to 8 ft from the west, with a period of 10 to 11 seconds, giving us moderate wave energy (between 1013 and 1785). The water temperature is a warm 85°, which is pretty normal for the time of year. But with that wind, it’s just not clean. The wave comment says "marginal" or "poor" for most of this stretch, and honestly, it’s a tough call to paddle out. The swell is a bit too big for beginners in the middle of the week, and the cross-chop is going to make it a battle. For a few days around the 11th and 12th, the swell pushes over 8 ft and the wind turns onshore, so that’s really only for the experts or the masochists. This setup might even be more interesting for kite surfing than regular paddle surfing.

The real standout, the one that has me hyped, is the Tuesday morning of the 18th. That’s the day. The wind swings around to an offshore breeze from the ESE at just 3 mph, and the wave comment says "expect good surf conditions." The swell is 6 ft from the west, with a period of 8 seconds. The energy is moderate (498), but the wind is the key here. It’s going to be clean. The afternoon on the 18th gets even better—glass-off conditions with a light SSW breeze, and the swell drops to a more manageable 5 ft. That’s the pick of the trip. The morning of the 19th is also glassy with a 4 ft west swell, which is a great option for a longer session, but the 18th is the best on offer.

The second week fades fast. After the 19th, wind picks up again, and the swell drops off a cliff. By the 20th, we’re looking at 2 ft waves, and the energy drops to 92. The 21st has some small, clean waves with an offshore breeze, but it’s 1 ft. It’s a soft, small-scale end to the window. The 22nd and 23rd are blown out with strong winds hitting 25 to 31 mph, so forget about it.

So, if you’re looking for a window, the 18th and 19th of August are your days. The 18th is the standout for clean, glassy waves. The rest of the run is a wait-and-see game.

- Rusty

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