The Jetty Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty, and I’ve been staring at the charts for The Jetty.

Honestly, the next couple of weeks are looking pretty flat for us. This is a run where you might want to spend more time cleaning your board than riding it. There’s a big gap with nothing really surfable, so don’t get your hopes up for any quick sessions.

The Jetty is a sandbar setup that’s fairly consistent, but the swell just isn’t cooperating. The first real chance of anything is a brief window, but it’s not great. The water here is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, sitting at 77°, which is a bit of a treat.

Looking at the start of the period, there’s really nothing to recommend. The swell is tiny, the winds are all over the place, and the energy is weak. We’re talking about a combined energy of only 33 on the Wednesday afternoon, which is just a flat, weak pulse. The few days following are more of the same.

There’s a short gap until we get to the 24th of August, Monday morning, where we see a tiny 1.0 ft south-east swell with a 12-second period, and a light offshore wind from the north-west. That’s a clean, glassy look, but it’s so small it’s hard to get excited about.

Things get a bit more interesting towards the end of the month. On the 29th of August, Saturday afternoon, the swell picks up to 4 ft from the east-northeast, but the period is only 6 seconds. That’s short-period, wind-affected chop. The combined energy hits 122, which is moderate, but the wind is a fresh 21 mph cross-onshore, making it lumpy and messy. This is more of a kite-surfing scene than a paddle-surfing scene.

The 30th of August, Sunday morning, shows the biggest swell of the run at 4 ft from the east-northeast, again with a short 6-second period. The wind shifts to a cross-off at 18 mph, so the surface will be clean. The combined energy is 184, which is the highest we’ll see. It’s still not a classic, but it’s the best of a bad lot for a knowledgeable surfer who can handle a short-period, walled-up beach break.

Don’t get excited about the long-range stuff. The 2nd of September has a similar 2 ft south-east swell with a 10-second period, but the wind is onshore, and the energy is only moderate. It’s a low-scoring, poor surf situation all the way through.

This is a tough outlook. The Jetty is a fair-weather spot, and this forecast is basically a write-off for decent paddle surfing. Keep your board waxed, but don’t be surprised if you’re just watching the horizon.

Rusty.

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