South Del Mar Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what we’ve got on the cards.

Right off the bat, the next week and a half is a real mixed bag, but there’s a small window of rideable, if not perfect, waves before things go flat. The standout is the period from Sunday the 26th of July through to Saturday the 1st of August. After that, we hit a long, quiet stretch.

South Del Mar is the only game in town. It’s a reef break, fairly consistent, and exposed to the swell. The water temp is about average for July, nothing weird going on there.

Starting Sunday the 26th morning, we’ve got a 4 ft SW swell, but it’s cross-on with a light breeze. The period is a very long 19 seconds, which means proper groundswell energy, but that long period can make it wall up a bit on a beach setup, so it might be a bit straight. Combined energy is a solid moderate 961. Not a standout, but a start. The afternoon drops off a touch.

Monday the 27th and Tuesday the 28th keep things similar – around 4 ft to 5 ft from the SSW, period hanging in the 17-19 second range, energy boosting into the low 1200s (moderate). Still cross-on winds, gentle breeze making it a bit choppy, which is a shame because the swell has some grunt. For a beginner-friendly reef like this, the size is fine, but the chop is annoying.

Thursday the 30th morning sees a shift: the swell jumps to 6 ft from the S, period drops to a still healthy 14 seconds, and the energy is 1151. The wind swings to onshore, but only a light breeze. This is the best looking day for a bit of size, but the wind direction hurts the quality. The afternoon goes back to 4 ft.

Friday the 31st of July is the peak of the run. Morning brings 6 ft from the S, period at 14 seconds, energy 1368. Light onshore wind. That’s the biggest swell of the window, but at 6 ft it starts getting a bit much for real beginners. The onshore wind means it’s not going to be pretty, but a reef can handle a little wind better. The afternoon drops to 6 ft.

Saturday the 1st of August fades to 5 ft and then 4 ft, energy dropping to 722. Light onshore wind. It’s rideable, just barely.

Then the wheels fall off. From Sunday the 2nd of August right through to Monday the 10th of August, the surf is mostly poor, with swell dropping under 3 ft and often weaker than 2 ft. Energy dives into the 100s and low 200s, and the period drops to 8-13 seconds on some days. It’s a proper flat spell for over a week. A few early mornings on the 7th and 8th show some 2 ft and 2 ft with long period, but combined energy is barely above 200, so it’s not worth rushing out for. The 10th of August morning shows a flicker of life with 3 ft and 14 seconds, 282 energy, but that’s still marginal.

Overall, your best chance is Friday the 31st of July for the most size, but you’ll be battling a light onshore breeze. The Thursday the 30th morning is your next best bet for size. Any other day, it’s a scratch session. Crowds are often a factor here, and when it’s this marginal, it won't be empty. Given the onshore winds and the size, this setup might honestly be more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddler during the main swell days. After the 1st, don’t bother.

Rusty.

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