Stinson Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s on offer for the next couple of weeks.

This stretch is a bit of a mixed bag. We’ve got a consistent supply of energy coming in, but the wind is going to be a constant battle. The water is sitting at 62°F, which is a whopping 5°F warmer than usual for this time of year – that’s very unusual, so you might not need the thickest suit.

The first real chance to get wet comes on Tuesday, 28 July, at Stinson Beach. The morning session sees a 4ft swell from the southwest with a very long period of 18 seconds, giving it some serious push. The combined energy is moderate (921). The downside? It’s a cross-on wind from the WNW at 12 mph, making it choppy and messy. It’s a *fairly consistent* spot, but it’s *sometimes* crowded, and with that wind, it’s not going to be clean. The afternoon is a write-off with stronger wind.

Wednesday morning, 29 July, is similar: a 3ft SW swell with a 16-second period, but the wind is lighter at 9 mph from the WNW. It’s still cross-on, so expect a bumpy ride. This is a beginner-friendly break, but that chunky, long-period swell will be better suited for a point or reef than a beach break like this. The energy drops to 893.

The outlook doesn’t get much better. Thursday morning, 30 July, has a smaller 3ft SSW swell (826 energy), and the wind remains a light, annoying cross-on. Friday morning, 31 July, the swell direction shifts to the NW with a short 8-second period for 6ft (880 energy), but the winds are still cross-on. The weekend brings more size – 7ft on Saturday morning, 1 August, and 7ft on Sunday morning, 2 August – but the wind stays stubbornly cross-on from the W or WNW. That 7ft on Saturday comes with moderate energy (1274), but it’s short-period and lumpy.

From Monday, 3 August, right through to the end of the forecast on Wednesday, 12 August, the pattern is relentless: small to moderate swell in the 4ft to 5ft range, mostly from the WNW, with winds that are either light cross-on or light onshore. The energy values are mostly in the low to moderate range (between 256 and 761). There’s no standout of clean, glassy conditions in the whole run.

The best of a not-so-great bunch? It’s got to be Wednesday morning, 12 August. The swell is 5ft from the WNW with a 9-second period, and the wind is a mere 3 mph from the SSW, which is about as light as it gets. The energy is moderate (710), and it’s the closest we’ll get to a clean, surfable wave. It’s still a cross-on breeze, but a whisper of one. Even then, it’s only a “marginal” call. For a beginner spot, the size is manageable, but the long, drawn-out period of the bigger swells earlier in the window will make them hard to ride here.

Honestly, for the next two weeks, the wind is the main story. The waves are there, but they’re going to be ugly. If you’re desperate, hit the earlier mornings when the wind is lightest, but don’t expect anything special. The setup is more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing on most of these afternoons.

Rusty.

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