Shipwrecks Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty, and I’m taking a look at what’s on the table for the next 16 days. Honestly, it’s going to be a quiet stretch out at Shipwrecks. We’ve got a reef and point setup here, and it’s fairly consistent, but the surf is just not cooperating for the most part. Let’s break it down.

The water is running about 86° – that’s much warmer than normal for this time of year, which is a nice little bonus if you’re in the water.

We start off on Thursday the 30th of July. Afternoon has some clouds, a light 6 mph cross wind from the SSW. Swell is a modest 3 ft from the SSW, period 14 seconds. That’s a long-period groundswell, and the combined energy is moderate at 442. It’s a long period, which means it’ll be a bit more powerful and better shaped, but at a point/reef like Shipwrecks, it can work. Conditions are only marginal, though, with that light cross-shore wind.

Friday the 31st is a write-off. Clean in the morning but the wind is onshore, then afternoon gets a stronger 16 mph cross wind. Swell drops to 3 ft. Poor surf both sessions.

Saturday the 1st of August? Don’t bother. Morning cross-onshore, afternoon is cleaner but the swell is down to 2 ft. Just not enough.

Sunday the 2nd and Monday the 3rd are very small. Monday afternoon on the 3rd is the only bright spot in the first week – glassy conditions, light wind, 1 ft of swell from the SW with a 12-second period. The combined energy is weak at 105. It’s surfable, but you’ll be hunting for tiny waves.

From Tuesday the 4th all the way through to the end of the first week and into the second, we’re looking at swell heights hovering between 1.0 ft and 3 ft. The wind is often cross or cross-onshore, and the conditions are mostly rated as poor. The combined energy mostly stays in the low to moderate range (80 to 430).

Now, there is a bit of a pulse from the 11th of August onward. Swell picks up to 2 ft from the SW with periods of 18 seconds, and the combined energy is strong (538). Tuesday the 11th afternoon has a risk of thunderstorms, but the wind is cross-offshore and clean. That’s the best-looking window in the whole forecast. The long period (18 seconds) means it’s a proper groundswell, but it’s still only 2 ft, so it’s not going to be a big day. Still, with clean conditions, it’s your best bet.

The 12th and 13th of August have similar 2 ft swell, but the wind is mostly cross-onshore, making it choppy. The 14th of August has a 2 ft swell with a 19-second period and a light cross-onshore wind – the combined energy is strong at 581, but the size just isn’t there.

The standout: Tuesday the 11th of August afternoon at Shipwrecks. That’s your best chance. Clean cross-offshore wind, 2 ft of long-period SW groundswell, and strong energy. It’s not a big day, but it’s the cleanest and most promising window in a very quiet outlook.

Crowds are possible here, as they are often around. If you’re a beginner, 2 ft is fine, but keep in mind the long period can make the sets a bit more powerful and the gaps between them longer.

Honestly, for most of this 16-day stretch, you’re better off checking the forecast again later. The setup is more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer on many of these days with that cross wind.

Rusty.

Read more