Royal Palms State Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, grab your wetsuit and listen up. It’s Rusty here, and I’ve been staring at the charts for our stretch of coast, and I gotta tell you, it’s a bit of a rough patch we’re in. We’re looking out at a 16-day window that starts with a whole lot of nothing, and I mean that literally.

The first solid option we have is Royal Palms State Beach (South Shore). It’s a sheltered reef and point set-up that’s usually a beginner’s dream, but it’s been pretty inconsistent lately. The water is running at 71°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year—that’s a pretty wild anomaly, over two and a half degrees above where we should be.

So, here’s the deal. From Saturday the 15th all the way through to Thursday the 27th, it’s a wasteland. There is some swell in the water, but it’s tiny, mostly around 1 ft to 3 ft, and the wind is just junk. It’s mostly a cross-on shore breeze, which chops everything up and makes it totally un-rideable. The wave energy is weak to moderate at best, with readings like (342) and (334) early on, but it just doesn’t matter with that wind. It’s poor surf conditions, day after day. This is a long gap with nothing on offer.

Now, let's skip ahead. Towards the end of the run, on Friday the 28th, things finally start to look up. It’s still not big, but there’s a window in the morning that has our attention. The wind goes glassy, and the swell is a clean 2 ft from the SSW. The energy picks up a bit to (312). It’s the first time we see proper conditions, but it’s still pretty ordinary. It’s surfable, but I wouldn't call it a standout.

The real glimmer of hope comes the next morning, on Saturday the 29th. It’s still not huge, but the swell bumps up to 3 ft from the SSW, and the energy is the strongest we’ve seen all period at (464). The wind is light and onshore, which isn't perfect, but it’s a much better look. This is the most promising day on the horizon, but keep in mind, it’s a week and a half out, so take it with a grain of salt. This is more of a long-range promise than a certainty.

If you’re a beginner, keep in mind that even these small swells are going to be a bit much if they get over 5 ft, but that’s not an issue here. The real problem is the quality and consistency. It’s not a blank run that’s normal for the area, but it’s also not a time to be stoked. The set-ups honestly look more interesting for the kite surfers than for us paddle-surfers during most of this stretch, given the cross-onshore winds.

So, there you have it. A long, flat, and choppy couple of weeks, with a single, better morning on the 29th that could deliver a couple of fun ones if everything lines up. Keep your eyes on that forecast.

Rusty, out.

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