The South Jetty Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, mate, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming our way.

The outlook is pretty grim for a long stretch. The first few days have some waves, but the quality is just not there. We’ve got a small, weak swell and a lot of cross-onshore wind messing things up. It’s going to be a real grind until things finally turn around.

Wednesday morning, the 29th of July, is the first chance to get wet, but it’s nothing to write home about. The South Jetty is seeing a small 2ft swell out of the southeast, with a short period of 6 seconds. The combined energy is weak at 42. The wind is offshore from the northwest, keeping things clean, but the overall forecast says poor surf conditions.

Thursday the 30th is even smaller, dropping to 2ft in the morning and 1ft in the afternoon. The wind stays offshore, but the swell is tiny and weak. Friday the 31st through to Saturday the 8th of August is a real write-off. We’re talking about a solid week and a half of tiny, weak, short-period swell, with mostly cross-onshore or onshore winds. The energy readings are all in the double digits, with the highest being 104 on the 8th. It’s going to be choppy, messy, and generally not worth the paddle out. For most of this, the setup is a beach and jetty, and with the wind and weak swell, it looks more like a kite surfing session than a paddle surfing one.

Finally, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. Sunday the 9th of August shows real promise. The morning session has a 4ft swell from the SSE with a long 12-second period, bringing in moderate energy (435). The wind is cross-offshore from the NNW, so it’s clean. The real standout is the afternoon of Sunday the 9th. The swell jumps to 5ft from the SSE, and the period extends to a very long 13 seconds. The combined energy is strong at 730. The wind goes glassy, dead flat from the SSE. This is the pick of the forecast. The waves will be good, clean, and have some real power from that long-period groundswell. Just keep in mind that long periods like that can make the break a bit straight at a beach/jetty setup, but with glassy conditions, it’s still the best on offer.

Monday the 10th still has some size, 4ft in the morning and 4ft in the afternoon, with a long 12-second period, but the wind turns cross-shore and onshore, killing the quality. The rest of the outlook into the second week fades again, with smaller swell and cross-onshore winds, but the 13th of August shows a return to light offshore winds with a small, clean 2ft swell.

So, to sum it up: the first week and a half is a dud. The absolute best surf is the afternoon of Sunday the 9th of August at The South Jetty. The water temp is 76°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so it’s pleasant. Expect crowds to be possible there, as it’s a consistent spot.

Stay patient, and mark that Sunday on your calendar.

Rusty

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