Swanage Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get this out there. I’ve been staring at the charts for the next couple of weeks, and I’ve got to be straight with you: it’s a rough stretch for waves around here. The finder is coming up empty for any proper surf. We’re looking at a solid run of nothing, really. For the next week and a half, there’s just no swell of any consequence. You’ll see tiny, weak bumps – we’re talking ankle-biters – not enough to get a proper glide on. It’s one of those blank runs that just seems to sit there, teasing you.

The only time things even get close to interesting is around Friday the 21st and then again on Monday the 24th. On the 21st, we’ll see a pulse of east swell bumping things up to about 4ft, but the period is a short, crumbly 6 seconds. The energy is there, moderate at 116, but it’s a messy, wind-blown kind of thing. The morning has a cross-shore breeze, and even though the afternoon cleans up with a cross-offshore wind, this is still not a quality wave. It’s a beach break, and a short-period east swell is going to be sectiony and hard to ride. With the wind and the junky nature of it, it honestly looks like it might be more fun for the kite crew than us paddle surfers.

Then there’s the 24th, which is a bit of a mirage. The swell height is around 3ft, but the direction is west-southwest, coming from the wrong angle for this spot. The period is still short, 7 seconds, and the energy is moderate at 106. But the morning wind is onshore, and the afternoon is cross-onshore and choppy. Just poor conditions, plain and simple.

So, what have we got? Not a single day where I’d point you to the water and say, “Go get it.” This is a stretch where the jet ski stays covered, and you find something else to do. It might be a good time to check the forecast for further out, because this sort of flat spell doesn’t usually last forever around here. But for now, there’s nothing on the table. Keep the board in the car, but don’t get your hopes up.

Rusty

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