States Avenue (Gas Chambers) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ll be straight with you – this forecast for States Avenue is a bit of a dirge. It’s a solid 16-day stretch, but there’s hardly a ripple worth paddling out for. You’re looking at a whole lot of nothing for the first week, with small, weak swell and messy winds making it a write-off. There’s a tiny glimmer way down the line, but patience is the name of the game.

Starting off now, Saturday the 25th of July, we’ve got a tiny 2ft swell from the east, but the wind is a cross-onshore breeze. It’s choppy and poor – keep the board in the car. Sunday and Monday are more of the same: tiny waves, cross-shore or light onshore wind, and the combined wave energy barely cracks 40 to 90 units – that’s weak. Tuesday the 28th offers a tiny 2ft from the SSE, but with a short 5-second period and light cross-onshore airs, it’s still a no-go.

Wednesday the 29th brings a slight change. We’ve got a 3ft SSE swell and a clean, cross-offshore wind from the NNE at 12 mph. The combined energy is still weak at 67, but the wind is clean. This is surfable for an intermediate, but with a short 7-second period, the waves are weak and won’t offer much push. It’s an option, but a very ordinary one. Thursday the 30th sees the combined energy jump up to 137, but the swell is a messy mix from the NE and SSE, and the wind is cross-shore. Not the clean, powerful lines we’re after.

Then we hit a real dry spell. From Saturday the 1st of August through to Wednesday the 6th, it’s nearly all tiny swells under 3ft, with onshore or cross-shore winds and very low energy – mostly under 70 units. There are a couple of days with clean conditions, like Wednesday morning the 5th with a clean cross-offshore wind on a 3ft SSE swell, but the wave period is a short 6 seconds, making for weak, unexciting surf. It’s a frustrating stretch.

Now, the one and only standout in this entire outlook comes on Monday the 3rd of August. The swell builds overnight, hitting 4ft from the SSE in the morning with a 9-second period. The combined energy jumps right up to 205 (moderate energy), which is the biggest we see in the whole forecast. The wind is light and cross-shore from the NE, keeping it fairly clean. It’s a marginal call but by far the best-looking window. After that, the swell drops off and the wind turns messy again for the rest of the second week, with tiny, choppy waves.

So, the pick of a very poor bunch is Monday morning the 3rd of August at States Avenue. You’ll have 4ft of SSE groundswell, moderate energy (205), and clean enough conditions for an intermediate surfer. It won’t be world-class, but it’s the only real shot. If you’re desperate to get wet and don’t mind a marginal session, that’s your window. Otherwise, give it a miss.

Rusty.

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