Spring Lake Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s look at what’s coming up for the local stretch around Spring Lake over the next couple of weeks.

Honestly, I’ve gotta be straight with you – the next week and a half is looking pretty grim. We’ve got a long, long stretch of very small, weak surf ahead. The energy is going to be struggling hard, with values mostly in the 30s and 40s (weak combined swell energy), and the swell direction is hanging out of the ESE and SE. The water temperature is sitting at about 76°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so that’s one plus.

We’ll start off with Sunday the 23rd into the week. The swell is tiny, around 0.7 ft to 1 ft, with a period of 12 seconds, but the wind is mostly cross-offshore. The problem is, there’s just no push. The surf is basically flat. Monday afternoon the 24th might be the most we see for a few days, with the energy hitting 70 (weak), but that’s still just a dribble. You’ll be waiting for hours for a knee-high lump.

Wednesday morning the 26th we get a moment of glassy conditions with the wind swinging around to the ENE at 0 mph, but the swell is still only 1 ft with a short period of 9 seconds. It’s clean, but not rideable. That’s the theme – a few clean windows, but nothing to ride.

The wind does turn offshore from the WNW on Tuesday afternoon the 25th and again on Friday the 4th of September, but the swell remains tiny. It’s frustrating.

We don’t see any real action until Saturday the 5th of September. That’s the standout. Saturday morning the 5th, the swell bumps up to 4 ft from the SE with a 13-second period, and the combined energy jumps to 353 (moderate wave energy). The wind is cross-off from the NNW, keeping things clean. But the real highlight is Saturday afternoon: the wind goes glassy, just a slight air from the NNW, and the swell is still a solid 3 ft from the SE with a 12-second period and energy of 292 (moderate). That’s the best window of the entire forecast. It’s not going to be huge, but for a spot that’s been starved for weeks, it’ll be a welcome change. The water is still a touch warmer than normal, but that’s fine.

After that, it drops back down quickly. Sunday the 6th and Monday the 7th see the swell fade back to 3 ft and then 1 ft, with onshore and cross-on winds blowing it out. The energy drops back to weak levels.

So, your best bet: mark Saturday the 5th of September. The afternoon session is the real winner – glassy, clean, and a little bit of push. It’s a sandbar setup, so it’s exposed to the swell but it’s consistent, and it’s intermediate-friendly. Crowds are possible out there, especially on a Saturday, but everyone else will be just as desperate for a wave. The direction (SE) is off the optimum, but with that glassy top, you’ll make it work.

For the rest of the time, it’s a long wait. The setup is more interesting for the kite surfers than us paddle guys for most of this period.

Rusty.

Read more