The Patch Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it. This is Rusty.

Alright, listen up. We’ve got a bit of a mixed bag coming our way for The Patch over the next couple of weeks. For the beginner crew, there’s some fun stuff on offer, especially later this week and into the weekend, but you’ll need to pick your windows wisely. The water is sitting at about 60°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so that’s a nice bonus.

We’re kicking off on Wednesday, July 29th, but don’t get too excited just yet. The surf is small and the wind is a bit strong and cross-offshore, which will mess up the shape. The combined swell energy is moderate (868), but it’s just not coming together. Thursday the 30th is a bit better in the morning, with a clean 3ft SW groundswell but the period is long at 16 seconds. That’s a deep ocean swell, but at this size and with cross-off winds, it’s more of a mellow paddle than a session to write home about. The energy dips a bit (663).

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Friday morning, July 31st, and Saturday morning, August 1st, are your standouts. Friday morning we’ve got a solid 6ft NW swell, but the period drops to 8 seconds so it’s a bit of a wind swell. The wind is only a gentle breeze from the WNW, so it’s clean, and the energy is decent (921). It’s a bit big for a true beginner, but for anyone with a few sessions under their belt, it’ll be a blast. Saturday morning is even better for consistency. The swell is a touch smaller at 6ft, still from the WNW with an 8-second period, but the wind is super light—just a light breeze, making it glassy. The energy is moderate (539), but the clean conditions will make the most of it. Crowds are a possibility here at The Patch, so get in early.

Sunday morning, August 2nd, is another good call. The swell is a bit bigger again at 7ft, but the period stretches out to 10 seconds, giving it more grunt. The combined energy is solid (876), and the wind is light from the WNW again, so it will be clean. This is pushing into the territory where it’s more for the experienced surfer, especially if you’re not used to a bit of power.

Things go downhill from Monday afternoon. From Monday the 3rd through to Tuesday the 12th of August, it’s a long run of poor to marginal conditions. The winds turn onshore or cross-onshore from the south and southwest, and the swell drops off and gets messy. There’s a real gap here, almost a week and a half of nothing special. The energy stays in the moderate range, but the wind kills it.

There’s a tiny flicker of life on Wednesday the 12th and Thursday the 13th, with some small 2ft to 3ft SW groundswell (periods of 16-18 seconds), but the wind is mostly onshore or cross-onshore, making it choppy and not worth getting wet for. The energy is still moderate (404-529), but with that size and wind, it’s a pass.

So, to sum it up: if you’re looking to paddle, your best bets are early Friday morning, July 31st, and early Saturday morning, August 1st. For the more experienced surfer, Sunday morning, August 2nd, is the pick of the week. After that, you’re waiting until the second week of August for anything, and even then, it’s looking pretty tame. Keep an eye on it, but don’t hold your breath.

Rusty.

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