Scarborough South Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Gotta be straight with you – we’re in for a long, quiet stretch before anything worth paddling out for shows up. Let's get into it.

Right now, the surf is a total non-event. We’re looking at tiny, weak swell barely scraping 2ft from the north on Tuesday the 28th of July, with a moderate offshores, but it’s just not enough to get wet for. The water is sitting at 61°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, but that’s small comfort when there’s no waves. That same sad story runs from Tuesday through to Monday the 3rd of August – day after day of knee-high dribble, with the combined swell energy mostly in the teens and twenties. It’s a proper dead spell.

We get a slight flicker of life on Tuesday the 4th of August. The morning brings a 3ft easterly swell with a short 6-second period, which at least makes it surfable, but “very ordinary” is the word. The combined energy climbs to 73 – still weak. The wind is light and clean, so you could get a few grovelly ones if you’re desperate, but it’s nothing to write home about.

Then the real gap hits. From Wednesday the 5th of August right through to early on Thursday the 6th, we’re back to nothing. But hold on to your boards, because Thursday the 6th of August is the one we’ve been waiting for. The morning sees a punchy 7ft swell from the north, with a 8-second period, and the combined energy jumps to 596 – that’s moderate wave energy. The wind is a moderate offshore from the WSW, keeping it clean. By the afternoon, it gets even better: 7ft from the north, 9-second period, and the energy hits 805, still moderate but feeling strong. The wind stays offshore. This is the standout window. That’s a solid, powerful wave on offer, and the offshore wind will have it holding up nicely. That’s expert territory, though – too big for beginners.

Friday the 7th of August morning is pure magic. The swell drops a touch to 5ft from the north, 9-second period, with 402 combined energy. But the wind goes totally glassy – zero knots. That’s as clean as it gets. This is the best session on offer. It’s a size that’s still fun for experienced surfers, and the glassy conditions will make it a dream. The afternoon sees the wind swing around and ruin the party, so get out early.

Saturday the 8th of August morning is another glassy start, but the swell has backed off to 4ft from the north, with an 8-second period, and the energy is down to 161. It’s surfable, but much weaker. After that, the swell fades fast and the wind turns messy through the rest of the weekend and into the next week.

Looking further out, the second week is a write-off. We get a bit of a pulse on Tuesday the 11th of August, with 6ft from the northeast, but the period is a short 6 seconds and the wind is a strong cross-shore, creating lumpy, choppy conditions. The energy is 244, but it’s not a clean wave. The tides and wind just aren’t lining up. After that, it’s back to small, weak, and wind-affected through Wednesday the 12th.

So, the plan is simple: suffer through the next week of tiny dribble, and then hit Thursday the 6th of August morning and Friday the 7th of August morning hard. That’s where the quality is. The rest is just waiting around.

Rusty.

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