Right and Left Side Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right. I’m Rusty, and I’ve been staring at the charts for this stretch. Let’s be straight with each other – this is a rough run. The only break that’s even in the picture is Right and Left Side, a reef setup that’s inconsistent and for advanced surfers only. The forecast is a long, gnarly battle with onshore and cross-shore winds, and the water’s sitting at a warm 85.5°F, which is pretty much spot on for this time of year.

The first week, from the start of August right through, is a write-off. The wind is hammering from the West and Southwest, 15.5 mph to 28 mph, all cross-on or cross, and the swell is a messy E, ENE, and NE around 4.3 ft to 4.9 ft with a period of 14 seconds. The combined energy is moderate (730 to 1031), but the quality is zero. It’s all risk of thunderstorms and “poor surf conditions.” There’s a bit of a bump on the 5th and 6th morning with cleaner skies and a 5.6 ft NNW swell (1174 energy), but that wind is still cross-shore and lumpy, not clean. Nothing to get excited about.

Then on the 7th of August, Friday afternoon, the size jumps. We’re looking at a 9.8 ft swell from the West, but the period drops to 10 seconds and the wind is still a fresh cross-onshore. That’s big, messy, and dangerous for anyone but an expert, and even then it’s just a washing machine. The energy is strong (3017), but the conditions are “poor.” The 8th and 9th are similar: 8.2 ft to 9.8 ft W swell, but the wind stays on it, making it a lumpy, blown-out mess. The 9th morning gets a “marginal” call with a 9.8 ft W swell (11 seconds, 3375 energy) and a moderate cross-shore, which is the closest we get to a window, but it’s still a gamble.

The second week, from the 10th to the 16th of August, is pure chaos if you’re a paddle surfer. The swell is huge, 14.8 ft to 16.4 ft from the West and WNW, with periods of 10 to 12 seconds. The energy is massive (6660 to 7235), but the wind is a constant 15.5 to 28 mph cross-on or cross-shore. This setup is screaming for a kite, not a paddle. The 14th of August, Friday afternoon, the swell just dies to 0.3 ft, and from the 15th onward, there’s effectively no swell at all.

So, the honest truth: there is not a single standout in this 16-day window. The best you could try is the morning of the 9th of August, Sunday, where the 9.8 ft W swell has a long period (11 seconds) and the wind is just a moderate cross-shore. It’s a reef, so the long period might make it wall up, but it’s still a messy, crowded spot (crowds are “sometimes”), and it’s inconsistent. For a true expert, it might be a session, but for everyone else, this is a complete blank run. It’s normal for a spot like this to have long dry spells. Forecasts can change, but for now, I’d save the energy.

Read more