Tennis Courts Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty. Let's talk about what's on the menu for the next couple of weeks.

First off, I gotta be honest with you – the outlook for the next 16 days at Tennis Courts is a bit of a grind. We're looking at a long stretch where the conditions just aren't coming together for a proper paddle session. The wind is locked in from the east-northeast, blowing cross-off a lot of the time, which keeps the surface clean, but the swell is either too small, coming from the wrong direction, or just plain messy. The combined energy readings are mostly in the moderate range, between 400 and 900, but that's not translating into quality. The water temp is sitting at 81°, which is about normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The first real glimmer of hope, and it's a faint one, shows up on Monday the 12th of August. We get a long-period swell from the S at 18 seconds, with a combined energy of 882. That's a proper groundswell. The swell height is only 3ft, but that long period will give it some push. The problem is the wind is a fresh 19 mph from the ENE, which is cross-off. It’s a clean wave, but it's going to be a tricky one to get into. The sets will be spaced out with that long period, so you'll have time to get out the back, but it's not going to be a wave count session. Definitely not for beginners.

Things get a little more interesting around the 15th and 16th of August. On Saturday the 15th, the swell bumps up to 7ft from the ENE, but the wind is cranking at 25 mph from the NNE. That's a strong breeze, and while it's cross-off, it's just too much wind for a comfortable paddle. By Sunday the 16th, it's a full-on risk of thunderstorms with a gale force S wind at 40 mph blowing onshore. The swell is 8ft, but with that wind, it's a complete write-off for surfing. The combined energy is up to 1485, but that's just raw power with no finesse. This is more of a kite-surfing setup than a surfers' paradise.

The next little window opens on Monday the 17th of August. The swell is still 8ft from the ENE, but the wind drops to a gentle 9 mph from the SE. That's a cross-on wind, and the wave comment describes it as "gentle cross-onshore and fairly choppy." The combined energy is a significant 1825, so there's plenty of power. If you're an advanced surfer, you might find some lumpy, powerful walls. It's not clean, but it's the most size we've seen with manageable wind. By the afternoon, the wind shifts to a gentle cross-shore from the E, cleaning it up a little, but it's still a challenge.

After that, from the 18th of August right through to the 25th, it's a real desert. The swell drops right back, and the wind stays on from the ENE. There are a few pulses of long-period S and SSW swell, but the height is barely scraping 3ft. The combined energy drops to under 400, and the forecast is just "poor surf conditions" or "marginal." The window on Tuesday the 25th of August has a bit more energy, around 1100, with a 4ft S swell at 16 seconds, but the wind is a fresh 22 mph from the ENE. It's a tease, but not a session.

So, the standout here, if you can call it that, is the long-period groundswell on Monday the 12th of August. It's not a classic, but it's the only thing that hints at a proper wave. For the experienced crew, the powerful, lumpy swell on Monday the 17th of August is worth a look, but manage your expectations. The rest of the period is a waiting game. This is a spot that can really deliver, so don't lose hope. Forecasts can change, and a blank run like this is more of an anomaly than the norm around here.

Rusty.

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