Sandy Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a good hard look at what’s coming for Sandy Beach. It’s a tough stretch ahead, so I’ll be straight with you.

The forecast period starts now, and there’s a gap before we get anything worth a paddle. The first few days, from Friday the 24th right through the weekend, are a write-off. The wind is ripping hard from the ENE at 25 mph, smashing the ocean into a messy cross-chop. The swell is around 7 ft, but it’s short-period wind swell at 7 seconds, and the water is just a jumbled mess. The combined energy is moderate in the lower range (996) on Friday morning, but it jumps up to strong (1101) by the afternoon, which under normal conditions would be exciting, but the wind is just too strong and cross-shore. It’s a kite surfer’s dream, not a paddle surfer’s. Water temperature is sitting at 80°, which is about average for this time of year, so no worries there.

The only real glimmer of hope in this whole 16-day window comes on Tuesday, July 28th, and then again on Wednesday, July 29th. Tuesday morning is the first time we see a clean wind window. The wind switches to a light cross-offshore from the NE at 16 mph, and the swell is solid at 8 ft from the ENE with a 13-second period. That’s a proper groundswell, with good energy. The combined energy is huge, hitting 1970, which is very strong. This is serious wave energy. The water is going to be moving a lot. The sets will be powerful, with longer gaps between them. This is a session for experienced surfers only at that size. The break is fairly consistent, but be ready for the crowds, as they are often around. This is the standout session of the whole forecast.

But that’s it. The rest of the week and into August is a real bummer. Wednesday afternoon the wind goes cross, and the swell drops off. From Thursday the 30th all the way into the second week, we’re back to strong, cross-shore winds and messy, short-period slop. The swell sticks around in the 3 ft to 7 ft range, but it’s almost always accompanied by a fresh to strong breeze, leaving the waves lumpy and chopped up. The few days where the swell has a longer period, like the 17-second stuff on August 2nd, are still ruined by the wind. The energy levels fluctuate, but the quality never comes together. The breaks are there, but the conditions are just plain poor.

So, to wrap it up: if you can only get in the water once, make it Tuesday morning, July 28th. It’s the only time this window that offers a clean, powerful, and surfable wave. After that, we’re looking at a long, long gap of poor conditions. It’s a waiting game.

Rusty.

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