The South Jetty Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, let’s talk about what’s cookin’ for the South Jetty stretch. I’ve got to be straight with you – this 16-day window is a tough watch. The first few days are basically a write-off, so we’re starting with a gap from now until Monday morning, 3rd August.

Monday morning, the 3rd, things finally pop a little. We get a pulse of 6ft SSE swell, period around 8 seconds, and the wind swings to a cross-offshore from the WSW. The combined energy hits a solid 618, so there’s some grunt behind it. It’s clean. That afternoon it drops a little to 5ft, but the wind goes light and cross-shore. This is the only time in the whole outlook that feels like it’s worth paddling out. For the South Jetty, that’s the standout right there. After that, it’s a long, painful slide into flatness.

From Tuesday the 4th onward, the swell collapses. We’re looking at knee-to-waist high slop at best, mostly under 3ft, with period nosediving under 7 seconds – that’s all wind chop, no power. The wind is mostly cross or cross-onshore, and for several days it’s just choppy and poor. Tuesday the 4th morning has a weak 3ft, but the combined energy is only 74, so it’s barely a ripple. The following days through the rest of the first week and into the second week are all in the same boat: tiny swell, weak energy readings in the double digits or low triple digits, and a lot of cross-shore chop. The only thing that changes is the wind direction, but the size stays small.

Around the 10th and 11th, we get a few windows of cleaner conditions with light offshore or cross-offshore wind, but the swell is just too small – 2ft to 3ft, and the energy numbers are in the 30s and 50s. It’s a glassy, tiny ankle-biter. By Thursday the 13th, the swell drops to 0.7ft to 2ft, with energy down to 6 or 14. From there to the 17th of August, it’s flat. We’re talking about a major gap of nearly two weeks with nothing worth paddling for after that Monday morning window. The South Jetty is a beach/jetty setup exposed to SSE swell, and the few clean days in the second week just don’t have the size to make it happen.

So, bottom line: Monday morning, 3rd August, is your only real shot for a session. It’s not huge, but it’s the best on offer. After that, leave the board in the car and go do something else.

Rusty.

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