Right and Left Side Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s just rip the band-aid off right now: this is a grim 16-day outlook for Right and Left Side. We’re looking at a long stretch of poor surf and ugly conditions, so don’t get your hopes up.

Right and Left Side is a tricky reef setup, and it rarely breaks, so when it’s this messy, it’s just not worth paddling out. The first week is a write-off. From Friday 31 July right through to the end of the first week, we’ve got nothing but risk of thunderstorms, fresh to strong cross and cross-onshore winds, and lumpy, messy, choppy water. The swell is there, but it’s totally blown out. We’re talking moderate to strong combined wave energy (730 to 1537) but with poor surf quality every single session. The water temperature is around 86°F, which is about average for this time of year, so at least you won’t freeze.

The second week doesn’t get much better. Around Tuesday 4 August, the swell bumps up to 5ft to 6ft from the NNE and N, but the wind stays cross and messy, with strong breeze strength. By Wednesday 6 August afternoon, we see a 10ft west swell with a short period of 11 seconds – that’s a lot of water moving, but the wind is still fresh cross-shore and lumpy, so it’s blown-out junk. The combined energy hits 3267, but the commentary says “poor surf conditions” – no good.

The standout period, if you can call it that, is around Monday 10 August and Tuesday 11 August. The swell is huge – 16ft from the west, with a 12-second period, and combined energy in the 6700 to 7900 range. That’s heavy, powerful groundswell. But the wind is still strong cross-onshore or cross, making it messy and dangerous. This is only for experts, and honestly, it looks more like a kite-surfing day than a paddle-surfing day. The water temperature is not given for those days, but given the run-up, it’s likely still warm.

From Wednesday 12 August afternoon onward, the swell drops off a cliff – down to 1ft, then 1.0ft, 0.7ft, and eventually 0.3ft. Combined energy drops to double digits. The reef is barely breaking, and the wind stays strong and cross. Really, after the 12th, there’s nothing to chase.

So, bottom line: there’s no good surf on offer in this 16-day window. The break is inconsistent, and when it does have swell, the wind ruins it. The big west swell around the 10th and 11th is the only thing that gets the heart pumping, but it’s a mess. Don’t bother packing the board – go find something else to do.

Rusty.

Read more