Sandy Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it. The next week and a half is a real mixed bag for Sandy Beach. For the most part, we’re looking at tricky, cross-shore winds messing up what would otherwise be decent waves. The water’s sitting at 80°, which is pretty much spot on for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The first few days, from Sunday the 9th through Tuesday the 11th, are going to be a write-off. We’ve got chest-high, short-period windswell hanging around 5ft to 5ft, but the ENE breeze is blowing straight across the beach, making everything lumpy and chopped out. It’s just not worth paddling out for that mess. The energy is weak to moderate, around 425 to 570, and the period is a short 7 to 8 seconds, so it’s all surface chop with no push.

Then, from Wednesday the 12th into Friday the 14th, the swell drops right off but the period starts to climb. We’re seeing 3ft to 4ft of south swell with periods jumping to 14-18 seconds. That’s proper groundswell energy, but it’s still tiny and the wind is still a fresh cross-shore, so it’s going to be hard work for not much reward. The energy is moderate, in the 750-900 range, but those long-period waves are going to be few and far between.

The surf starts to build again on Saturday the 15th, with the swell climbing to 8ft in the morning and 8ft by the afternoon. That ENE swell is back, but the period is only 11 seconds, and the wind is up to 25 mph in the afternoon, making it a total mess. The energy is getting stronger, hitting 2145, but it’s all for nothing with that cross-chop.

Now, Sunday the 16th is the standout. The swell pushes up to a solid 10ft, with a longer 13-second period from the ENE. The wind swings around to a cross-offshore from the NNE, and the wave comment says it’s clean. This is the day to be out there. The energy is cranking at 4938, which is strong to very strong. It’s still going to be big and powerful, so this is for the intermediate crew and above. Beginners should give this one a miss. The break is exposed, and with that size and power, it’s not the place to learn.

After that, things get messy again. Monday the 17th sees the swell drop to 8ft but the wind swings onshore from the SW, and the period backs off to 10 seconds. It’s getting lumpy again with a risk of thunderstorms. Tuesday the 18th is tiny, just 2ft, and the wind is light but the swell is gone. The rest of that week is a mix of small, short-period windswell and onshore breezes, with no real quality on offer.

There’s a pulse of ENE swell coming back around Sunday the 23rd, with 10ft on the cards, but the period is short at 8 seconds, and the wind is cross-shore again. It’s going to be a wall of white water, more interesting for the kite surfers than for us paddle surfers, to be honest.

So, overall, the best bet in this whole window is definitely Sunday the 16th. It’s the only day where the size, period, and wind all come together for a clean, powerful session. It’s a long way out, so keep an eye on it, but that’s the one to circle on the calendar. It’s a long stretch of average to poor conditions before that, but this spot is very consistent, so it won’t stay flat for long.

Rusty

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