72nd Place Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, let’s talk about the next couple of weeks at Seventy-Second-Place. I gotta be straight with you, it’s a bit of a tough stretch to look at. The swell is there, but it’s mostly all coming in from the south or southwest, which is just about the worst direction for this spot. It’s a sheltered break that needs the swell coming from the southwest to work its magic, but the way the fetch is lined up, we’re getting a messy, chopped-up wave most days.

The water temp is sitting at 69°, which is a full degree Fahrenheit warmer than the long-term average, so it feels pretty nice for a dip. Don’t need a hood just yet.

For the first real chance at something decent, we have to look all the way to Saturday the 29th of August. The morning shows a 3 ft swell from the SSW with a period of 17 seconds, and a light 6 mph cross-onshore breeze. That long period (groundswell) brings some power, but for a beach break like this, it can make things a bit straight. The combined energy is moderate (635), but the wind is light, so it could be cleaner than the junk we see before it. The afternoon pushes up to 4 ft with a 16-second period, and an onshore wind, so the morning is the pick here. It’s only marginal, but it's the best we've got so far.

The next glimmer pops up on Monday the 1st of September. Tuesday the 2nd of September morning has a 4 ft swell from the S with a 12-second period and a glassy 3 mph offshore breeze from the SW. That is the standout window in this whole outlook. That offshore wind will clean things right up, and 4 ft is a nice size for advanced surfers. It’s not too big, but the energy is moderate (564). This is where I’d be pointing my board.

Then, on Friday the 5th of September morning, we see a 4 ft SSW swell, 16-second period, and a light offshore breeze again (6 mph from WSW). The energy is moderate (691), and the wind looks good. It’s another promising window, especially for a spot that rarely gets a clean look. Keep in mind, between these highlights there are gaps of several days where the wind is just ruining the shape.

So, the honest truth? The best bets are the Tuesday morning (2nd September) and the Friday morning (5th September). Those are the only times it looks like you’ll be able to get a clean, rideable wave from a long-period groundswell with a favorable wind. For everything else, you might be better off kitesurfing on a choppy day.

Rusty.

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