Sandy Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you – this is a tough one for Sandy Beach. We’re looking at a long, frustrating stretch of poor conditions, so don’t be in a rush to grab your board.

Right from the start of the period, Saturday, August 8th, it’s a no-go. We’ve got a fresh cross-shore wind howling at 22 mph, whipping up a lumpy cross-chop on a 5 ft swell. The wave energy is a weak 274, and the period is a short, powerless 6 seconds. This isn’t surf, it’s a washing machine.

This pattern sticks around for days. Through Sunday, Monday, and into Tuesday, it’s the same story: cross-shore winds, fresh breezes, and swell that’s all over the place. The combined energy does climb into the moderate range (500-559), but with these onshore angles, it’s just messy. The water temperature is about average for this time of year, so nothing to write home about.

We get a bit of a tease on Wednesday, August 12th, and Thursday, August 13th. A long-period groundswell from the south shows up, with periods of 18 and 16 seconds, and the energy jumps into the strong territory (909 to 1054). The problem is, the swell height is only 3 ft to 4 ft, so it’s small and heavily lined up, and the wind is still a fresh to strong cross-shore. It’s a frustrating look – the potential is there, but the conditions won’t let it happen.

Then things get nasty. Friday, August 14th, we see a near-gale force wind from the east-northeast at 31 mph, with an 8 ft to 10 ft swell. The energy rockets to 1481, but it’s a total blowout. By Saturday, August 15th, we’re looking at 13 ft swell with a very strong 3293 energy, but the wind is a strong cross-onshore creating a complete mess. Honestly, this setup looks far more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. It’s massive, powerful, but totally unsurfable for a surfer.

The swell drops into the 6 ft to 5 ft range from Monday, August 17th, through the rest of the period, but the wind stays stubbornly cross-shore. The energy fades back to weak levels (220-392), and the period is short again. There’s just no window for clean, rideable waves.

The bottom line: There is absolutely no standout, no good option anywhere in this 16-day forecast. The wind never turns offshore, and the swell is either too weak, too short-period, or blown to bits by strong winds. For a spot that’s usually fairly consistent, this is a rough run. But don’t lose hope – forecasts can change, and the ocean always has a way of turning it around.

Rusty, signing off.

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