Scarborough South Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it. This is Rusty, and I’ve got the outlook for Scarborough South Bay.

Honestly, folks, it’s a bit of a tough stretch ahead. We’re looking at a 16-day window, and I’ve got to be straight with you – there’s no real standout surf on offer for the first week and a half. The whole period is basically a run of poor surf conditions, with a lot of small, weak swell and dodgy wind. The first real recommendation isn’t until Tuesday the 4th of August, and even then, it’s only marginal.

Scarborough South Bay is a beach and point setup, and it’s fairly exposed to the north, but the swell we’re getting is just not cooperating. The first few days, from Friday the 31st of July through to Monday the 3rd of August, are all tiny – we’re talking 0.7ft to 1ft waves with short periods between 5 and 8 seconds. The combined wave energy is weak, in the teens and twenties. Winds are a mixed bag, with a bit of offshore early on Friday the 31st (6 mph from the WSW), but the swell is just too small to do anything with. Saturday afternoon the 1st of August gets glassy, but again, the swell is 1ft and short period. It’s a waiting game.

Now, Tuesday the 4th of August is where things get a little more interesting, but it’s still a tough call. The morning brings a 6ft swell from the ENE with a period of 7 seconds. That’s a moderate wave energy reading of 431, but the wind is onshore from the ENE at 9 mph. The afternoon improves slightly to a 5ft swell with a 7-second period, and the wind drops to 6 mph from the NE, but it’s still onshore. The report calls it “marginal” with a score of 1/10. That’s the only spot in the whole 16-day window that gets any kind of recommendation. For a more experienced surfer, the morning of the 4th might offer some punchy, if a bit messy, walls. For beginners, 6ft is getting a bit much, especially with onshore wind.

After that, it’s back to the small stuff. Wednesday the 5th through to Saturday the 15th of August is a long stretch of 1ft to 6ft swells, but the wind is almost always onshore, cross-onshore, or cross-shore, messing up the surface. The swell direction swings from ENE to NNE, but the periods stay short, mostly between 5 and 8 seconds. The combined energy dips back into the double digits and low triple digits. There’s a brief moment on Wednesday the 12th of August – the morning is glassy with a 3ft swell from the NNE, but it’s still only got a 6-second period and the energy is weak at 45. It’s clean, but it’s small and weak.

The water temperature isn’t given in the data, so I can’t tell you if it’s warmer or cooler than usual for the time of year. The crowds at Scarborough South Bay are often there, so when it’s even slightly rideable, you won’t be alone.

Look, for the second week, it’s just more of the same. Small, weak, and choppy. The best bet, if you’re desperate, is the morning of Tuesday the 4th of August when that 6ft ENE swell arrives, but keep your expectations in check. The rest of the 16 days is a write-off for quality waves. This bay is fairly consistent, so it’s a bit of a bummer, but it happens. The forecasts can change, so don’t throw your board in the attic just yet.

Rusty out.

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