Spring Lake Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s talk about Spring Lake.

We’re looking at a real quiet stretch for the next couple of weeks. The surf is going to be tiny for most of it, with a big gap in quality until we get into September. The water is sitting at 24°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so you won’t be needing a thick winter suit.

The first week is a non-starter. From Sunday the 23rd right through to the end of August, the waves are barely a ripple. You’re looking at swell around 0.6ft to 1ft max, with combined swell energy very weak, often only 11 to 70. The wind is a mixed bag – some glassy patches on Sunday afternoon and Wednesday morning the 26th, but mostly cross or cross-on breezes. The word is “poor surf conditions” all the way through, so honestly, leave the board at home.

That quiet spell stretches through the last week of August. Even Saturday the 29th goes glassy in the afternoon, but with only 2ft of swell, it’s flat. Sunday the 30th is all cross-on and choppy. It’s a long stretch of nothing.

Now, things start to look a little more interesting as we head into September. On Monday the 31st of August, we get a shift. The morning sees a 1ft swell from the SE, but here’s the catch – the period jumps to 18 seconds. That’s proper long-period groundswell, and combined energy lifts to 108 (moderate). The wind is offshore from the WNW, so it’s clean. The word is still “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions,” but for a sandbar like Spring Lake, that long period might make the waves break a bit too straight. Still, it’s the first sign of life.

Tuesday the 1st of September drops the period and gets messy with cross-onshore winds, so that’s a miss. Wednesday the 2nd is more of the same – poor.

Finally, the standout. Thursday the 3rd of September morning cleans right up with a solid offshore from the WNW at 9 mph. The swell is 3ft from the SE with a period of 11 seconds, and combined energy jumps to 193 (moderate). It’s described as “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions,” but that offshore wind makes it the best session in the forecast. This is the one to pencil in.

But the real highlight comes on Friday the 4th of September morning. We’ve got a 3ft SE swell, 12-second period, and combined energy of 287 (moderate). The wind is light from the north at 3 mph, crossing offshore, and the word says “expect good surf conditions.” This is the top pick of the whole outlook. Clean, lined up, and with that moderate energy, it’ll be the best waves we’ve seen. The swell direction of SE is a bit off the optimum ENE, but with quality winds and decent size, it’s the session to aim for.

After that, the surf fades again. The second week is small and messy, with cross-onshore winds and dropping energy. By the 7th of September, it’s back to 1ft and onshore slop with fresh breezes. Not worth it.

So, bottom line: the first week is a write-off. The best window is Thursday the 3rd and Friday the 4th of September, with Friday morning the clear standout. Get in the water then, because the rest of the fortnight is quiet.

Rusty.

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