Sebastian Inlet-First Peak Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty. Let's have a real hard look at what's coming down the line for Sebastian Inlet-First Peak (beach/jetty). To be straight with you, this stretch of the next two weeks is a bit grim. It's not completely flat, but we're looking at a long stretch of tiny, weak, and often choppy surf that's just not going to get you excited. The good news is it’s fairly consistent, so it won't be flat forever, but you’ll be squinting hard to find anything worth paddling out for.

We kick off Sunday the 9th of August with a tiny 3ft easterly swell, but periods are a short 8 seconds, and the water sits at 82°, which feels a bit colder than normal for August—about a degree off. The southeast wind is ruining it with a cross breeze, so it’s a no-go.

Monday the 10th is even smaller, dropping to 2ft of weak energy (32-33). The whole first week is a write-off, honestly. We get a few glassy mornings like Tuesday the 11th and Wednesday the 12th with calm or offshore winds, but the swell is pathetically small—1.0ft. You’re riding shadows, not waves. There's a gap of strong recommendations right through until the end of the first week.

Now, the one blip on the radar comes on Monday the 17th of August. The swell bumps up to 3ft from the ENE, with combined energy hitting 125—moderate energy, finally. But, and it's a big but, the wind is cross-onshore from the north, making it choppy. It’s still surfable if you’re desperate or a beginner, but with the wind on it at a beach/jetty setup, it’s going to look a bit more interesting for kitesurfing than for a clean paddle session.

The second half of the window into the week of the 18th stays small and weak. The only hint of something different is Wednesday the 19th and Thursday the 20th, where the swell period stretches out to 11-13 seconds. For a jetty break like this, a long-period groundswell (over 11s and nearly hitting 15s) can actually be a good thing if it lines up, creating more power and better shape, with longer lulls to paddle out. The energy is weak though, 44-84, and swell height is only 1.0ft to 2ft. On Thursday morning the 20th, wind is light and clean from the SSW, so you might get a few clean, tiny peelers, but it’s nothing to write home about.

If I had to point to the true standout, it's that window on the 20th of August. The combination of a long-period E swell (11s) and light offshore SSW wind gives it the best chance at being clean. The swell direction coming from the east matches the optimum direction (NE) well enough for the jetty to work. But again, it’s small. It’s a picky surfer's day, not a highlight.

For the rest, the tail end of the forecast into the 23rd and 24th of August sees the swell tick up to 3ft-3ft from the NE/ENE, but the period drops back down (5-6 seconds) and winds are problematically cross or onshore. More chop, no thanks.

Overall, this is a lean period. If you absolutely need a paddle, keep an eye on the glassy mornings for the tiniest of leftovers, or see if that long-period energy on the 20th brings a surprise. Otherwise, the kit stays in the car.

- Rusty

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