10th Street (Avalon) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. I’ve got the lowdown on 10th Street in Avalon, and I’ll be straight with ya – it’s a tough stretch. The water’s sitting at a toasty 74°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so at least the dip won’t be a shock to the system.

We’re looking at a long, dry spell with no real surf to speak of for the first week and a half. The energy is just a whisper, with the combined swell staying in the weak range (under 100). The first week is a write-off: tiny 1ft to 1.0ft swells, mostly from the SE, with short periods and cross-shore or onshore winds that keep the surface lumpy and choppy. A few morning windows on the 7th and 9th of July show clean conditions with a light cross-offshore breeze, but there’s simply no push to the waves. Tuesday morning the 7th has a 2ft swell from the ENE with a light cross-offshore, but it’s just not enough to get excited about. It’s frustrating.

The first real glimmer of hope doesn’t come until Tuesday the 14th of July. That morning, the wind goes glassy, and we see a 3ft swell from the east with a period of 8 seconds. The combined energy finally bumps up to a moderate 148. It’s described as “surfable but very ordinary.” It’s small, it’s short-period, but it’s the first clean, glassy wave we’ve seen. For a surfer who’s been watching flat water, this is something to get a wetsuit on for. The 10th Street (Avalon) break is a beach/jetty setup and is inconsistent, so this is a rare little window of opportunity. The offshore wind is from the NNW, which is the optimum direction for this spot.

After that, it’s back to mediocre for a few days. Then, on Friday the 17th of July, the swell tries to make a run. The morning shows a 4ft swell from the south with a 6-second period, pushing the combined energy to a moderate 128. The wind is a clean cross-offshore from the WSW, which is a good sign. This is the biggest swell of the forecast, but with a short period, it’s going to be a bit of a fat, close-out mess on a beach break. It’s probably the best on offer, but it’s not a standout. The afternoon gets messy with a strong onshore breeze, so the morning of the 17th is your only real look.

Honestly, the whole 16-day window is a bit of a desert. If you’re desperate for a paddle, the glassy morning of the 14th or the clean morning of the 17th are your only real options. Otherwise, the setup looks more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer, especially with those onshore winds in the afternoons. Keep an eye on the forecasts, but don’t hold your breath. This is a tough one for the Avalon crew.

Trust me, I’m Rusty.

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