Steamer Lane-The Slot Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it.

Right off the bat, I gotta be honest with you – the next couple of weeks are looking pretty flat and uninspiring for our lineup. The good news is that Steamer Lane-The Slot (Santa Cruz) is a reef that picks up a lot of different swell directions, so it’s not a total loss. The water temp is sitting at 61°F which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so at least the paddle out won’t be a shock to the system.

We start with a long stretch of nothing special. From Wednesday the 19th right through to the end of August, it’s a whole lot of small, weak swell with cross-on winds. The combined wave energy is mostly in the moderate range (513 down to 234), but with heights barely cracking 3ft, it’s just not enough to get the blood pumping. Periods are long, meaning proper groundswell, but the size is just too small to do anything with it. The wind is light but cross-on, which puts a little texture on the surface, so it’s not clean.

The first real standout shows up on Saturday the 29th of August. The morning sees a jump in energy to 1224 – that’s strong wave energy – with a solid 4ft SSW swell running at 18 seconds. That’s a beautiful, long-period groundswell. The wind is light and offshore from the WSW, so the conditions will be glassy and clean. This is the best looking session in the entire forecast. The consistency is very consistent here, so you’ll get plenty of rides, but be aware that crowds are often present at this spot. If you can get out early, you’ll be in for a treat.

Another decent option appears on Monday the 31st of August. The morning is glassy with a light offshore breeze, and there’s a 3ft SSW swell at 14 seconds. The energy is still moderate (547), but the clean conditions make it a worthwhile paddle. The afternoon sees a pulse of 5ft WNW swell, but the period drops to a short 8 seconds, so it’ll be a bit jumbled and less well-shaped.

After that, it’s back to small stuff. The first few days of September are frankly poor, with tiny 1ft to 2ft swells and onshore winds. The energy drops right off (down to 172), so it’s more of a lake than a surf break. You’d be better off sitting this one out.

In summary, the standout is the morning of Saturday the 29th of August at Steamer Lane-The Slot. Clean, glassy conditions with a solid 4ft SSW groundswell. The Monday 31st of August morning is the only other call worth making. The rest of the 16 days is a write-off.

Rusty.

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