Sebastian Inlet-First Peak Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it.

Well, I gotta be straight with you – this outlook is a tough one to write. We’re looking at a solid two-week stretch of mostly flat, messy, or just plain ugly conditions at Sebastian Inlet-First Peak. The water is sitting at a bit cooler than average for this time of year, about 81°, which is a touch under what we’d expect for August.

The first sign of any real energy doesn’t show up until the morning of Friday, August 7th, when we see a small pulse of east swell creep in at 3 ft, but the wind is a messy cross-onshore at 12 mph, so it’s gonna be choppy. That afternoon the wind switches to a clean onshore from the NE, but the swell is still only 4 ft and the period is short at 7 seconds. Honestly, it’s not worth paddling out for.

Saturday, August 8th, offers the best of a bad bunch. The morning gives us a 4 ft east swell with a slightly better 8-second period, and the combined energy picks up to 194 (moderate). The wind is a cross-shore from the SE at 9 mph, so it’s not clean, but it’s the most push we’ll see in the whole window. The break is very consistent, which is a plus, but it’s a beach/jetty setup so expect some chop. It’ll be crowded – this spot is often busy. That afternoon the swell drops a touch and the chop gets worse.

After that, it’s a slow slide into nothing. The rest of the second week, from August 9th through the 17th, is a total write-off. Swell drops to 0.7 ft to 2 ft, periods are short, and winds are mostly cross or cross-onshore. There’s no point even thinking about it.

The very last day of the forecast, Tuesday, August 18th, has a tiny glimmer. The morning shows a 2 ft northeast swell with a 6-second period, and the wind is a light cross-offshore from the SSW at 3 mph. The water will be glassy and clean. The combined energy is only 56 (weak) though. It’s surfable, but only just. It’s not a stand-out, it’s just a “maybe you catch a knee-high ripple if you’re desperate.”

So, to sum it up: the only real stand-out, if you can call it that, is the morning of Saturday, August 8th. That’s your best bet for the biggest, most consistent swell of the period, despite the cross-shore wind. For the rest of the 16 days, save your energy and do something else.

Rusty.

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