Saint Annes Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s shaping up for the next couple of weeks.

Honestly, it’s a pretty grim stretch for Saint Annes. The whole sixteen-day window is a bit of a write-off, with nothing that really gets the heart pumping. The water temp is sitting at 59°F, which is about 1° cooler than normal for this time of year – nothing too wild, but it’s got a bit of a chill to it.

The first real chance of a wave comes on Friday the 17th of July, with a 5 ft swell from the WNW, but the period is a short 8 seconds. The combined energy hits 630 (moderate), and with a light onshore breeze, it’s not going to be clean. It’s a marginal call at best, and the scores back that up. Saturday the 18th starts with a tiny 3 ft swell from the SW, but hey, that 18-second period is a proper groundswell. The energy is moderate (756), but the wind is light and onshore for the morning, so it’s still a “maybe” rather than a “go.” The afternoon goes cross-onshore and choppy, so don’t hold your breath.

The whole of the following week, from Sunday the 19th through to Thursday the 24th, is a real slog. Swells are small, mostly under 3 ft, and the wind is almost always onshore or cross-onshore. There’s a spike on Tuesday the 21st with a 7 ft SSW swell (13 seconds) and strong energy (1551), but with a moderate cross-onshore wind, it’s going to be a messy, choppy mess. That’s too big for beginners and with the wind, it’s only going to be a battle for the experts. The setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

The only real standout that makes me want to paddle out is Thursday the 24th of July. The morning shows a tiny 3 ft swell from the SW, but the period is a whopping 24 seconds – that’s some serious, long-period groundswell. The energy is strong at 1182. The wind is light and cross-onshore, so it won’t be glassy, but with that kind of period, it’s going to wrap around the reef and push through. This is a classic case where a long-period swell can be magic at Saint Annes, a reef break, even though the height is small. It’s the best option on offer, but it’s still just a “marginal” call.

After that, the end of the month and into August looks like more of the same – small, weak, and onshore. Nothing worth getting excited about. It’s one of those periods where the forecasts can change, but for now, it’s a waiting game.

Rusty.

Read more