The South Jetty Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty, and I’m looking at a full 16-day window for The South Jetty. Let’s be straight with each other – this stretch is a tough one for paddle surfing. The models are showing a lot of small, weak swell and wind directions that just don’t line up for this spot. The energy is low, and the conditions are mostly ordinary or poor. The South Jetty is a beach and jetty setup, exposed to swell from the SE, but the optimum direction from the guidance is SE. For the next week and a half, the swell is coming from the south or southwest, which isn't ideal, and the periods are short, around 4 to 6 seconds. That’s windswell, lacking any real punch. There are a few mornings where it goes clean with a cross-off or offshore breeze, but the wave heights are tiny, under 2 ft.

The real story here is the gap. There’s almost nothing worth getting wet for until the very end. We’ve got a solid 13 days of flat to marginal conditions. The combined energy is often in the double digits, which is weak. For example, on the 12th of August, the morning energy is only 14 (weak). On the 18th of August, there’s a glassy morning with a very long period swell of 17 seconds coming from the SE, but the height is only 1 ft, so it’s more of a pond than a wave. The energy is 82 (weak). That’s a tease.

Then, finally, on the 22nd of August, Saturday morning, things start to look a little more interesting. The swell is coming from the ESE at 3 ft, with a period of 12 seconds. That’s a groundswell, and the direction matches the optimum. The wind is glassy, and the energy climbs to 191 (moderate). It’s still small, but it’s clean. That’s the standout session in this whole outlook.

Then on the 23rd of August, Sunday morning, we see the biggest swell of the forecast at 6 ft from the south, with a short period of 7 seconds. The energy jumps to 400 (moderate). The wind is light cross-shore. The size is there, but the short period and direction mean it’s likely to be a bit messy and closed out. It’s the only time the swell gets over 5 ft, but it’s not a classic. For a beginner, 6 ft with a short period can be a handful, but it’s the biggest wave of the run.

So, to wrap it up: if you’re a surfer, the best bet is that glassy Saturday morning on the 22nd of August. It’s the only time the stars align for a clean, small, long-period groundswell from the right direction. The rest of the window is a waiting game. For kite surfers, the 23rd of August might offer some strong wind and a decent chop, but for a paddle, it’s a hold.

Rusty.

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