Sandy Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let me be straight with you – this 16-day window for Sandy Beach is a tough one. The forecast is pretty much a write-off for most of it, with a lot of wind and messy conditions. But there is one very specific moment that might just save the whole stretch, if you're brave enough to be there.

We start off with nothing for the first few days. The first real swell we see is through the weekend, but it's a no-go. Saturday the 8th and Sunday the 9th have some waist-high ENE swell, but it's getting flogged by a fresh cross-breeze. The water here is a very warm 80° and the anomaly is only 0.5°, so that's about bang on average for this time of year.

Through the middle of the week, from the 10th to the 13th, the swell direction shifts and the period picks up—we see some long-period groundswell from the S and SSW, with periods hitting 16-18 seconds. But the energy is all over the place, and the wind is relentless from the ENE and NE. It’s a lot of energy, but it's all cross-shore chop. It's a mess. The swell is too short and the wind is too strong to make anything of it at this beach-and-reef spot.

Now, the real kicker comes on the weekend of the 14th and 15th. The swell gets big. We’re talking about 8 ft to 12 ft from the ENE with a period of 8-9 seconds. That’s a lot of water moving, with a ton of energy. But the wind is a strong breeze from the NE, creating a messy, lumpy cross-chop. This is not surfer territory. This is the kind of setup that looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. It’s too big and clean for beginners, and too messy for experts.

The Standout Window

The one true standout in this whole 16-day window is a tiny window on Sunday, August 16th, in the morning. The guidance says Sandy Beach is an intermediate spot, fairly consistent, and exposed to ESE swell, with the optimum from the ESE. On that morning, we have a big 12 ft swell from the E, but with a period of 9 seconds, and the energy is absolutely cranking. The wind state is the key: it's a cross-offshore breeze from the N, which is clean. The comment says "wind and tide favorable, but the swell is predicted to be too big for this break." That’s the truth. For an intermediate, this is a no-go—it’s strictly expert territory. The waves will be big and powerful, and the long period groundswell makes it prone to breaking straight on a beach break, so it's best for a reef or point, but that’s the only chance you’ve got. The crowds are often here, so expect a few other brave souls. But honestly, this is the only real, clean surf on offer. After that, the week of the 17th onward drops back to nothing but messy, wind-affected junk.

So, to sum it up: a long, dry gap until the 16th, and then a short, dicey window for experts only. If you’re not an expert, keep your board in the car.

- Rusty

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