The South Jetty Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it. The whole 16-day window looks like a flat spell for The South Jetty. It’s a beach and jetty setup, exposed to the swell, but the truth is, there’s nothing worth paddling out for until the very end of the run. The first week and a half are a total write-off—poor surf conditions through and through, with cross-shore and cross-onshore winds ruining any chance of a wave. You’ve got a moderate breeze most days, and the swell is tiny, under 3 ft, with short period below 8 seconds. The combined energy is weak, rarely cracking 100 (like 86 or 102), so it’s just wind chop and closeouts.

The only glimmer comes on the morning of Saturday, August 15. That morning, we finally see a bit of a pulse: 5 ft from the S, period still short at 7 seconds, but the wind swings to a clean cross-offshore W at 19 mph. The combined energy hits 262 (moderate), and the wave state is clean. Still, it’s only a 5 ft short-period swell, so it’s not going to set the world on fire, but it’s the best on offer. The water temp is about average for this time of year, no major anomaly. Crowds are possible at this spot, but with conditions this ordinary, I doubt many will show.

The afternoon of that same day drops off to a pathetic 3 ft with a score of 1/10, and after that, it’s back to flat, clean but tiny waves for the rest of the run. There’s a glassy morning on Monday, August 17, but with only 0.7 ft of swell, it’s a lake. Nothing to get excited about.

So, the honest truth: you’ve got a long, dry gap of about 11 days with no real surf, then a brief, mediocre window on Saturday morning. For a beach/jetty break, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing on most days, especially with those cross-shore winds. Forecasts can change, but right now, it’s a tough stretch.

Rusty

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