The South Jetty Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s on the cards for The South Jetty.

First up, I gotta be straight with you – the 16-day window is looking pretty grim for a proper paddle. We’ve got a long stretch of small, messy surf with hardly any real energy behind it. The water is sitting at 76°, which is a touch warmer than usual for this time of year, so at least you won’t be freezing your toes off.

The pattern starts on Thursday, 23 July, with a tiny 2ft S swell and a period of only 7 seconds. The combined energy is a weak 52, and with a cross-onshore wind from the ESE, it’s just choppy and poor. Friday, 24 July is no better – 3ft of E windswell at 5 seconds, with a moderate cross-onshore breeze. That’s messy, short-period junk.

Saturday, 25 July brings a slight bump to 4ft from the E, but the period is still a pathetic 6 seconds. The energy creeps up to 112 (moderate), but the wind is cross-shore at 16 mph, leaving a chop on the surface. Sunday, 26 July is similar – 4ft ENE swell, 7-second period, energy at 171, but still cross-shore winds. It’s surfable in the sense that there’s a wave, but it’s not gonna be pretty.

We hit a bit of a lull from Monday, 27 July through to Wednesday, 29 July with waves dropping to 1ft to 3ft. The best of this poor bunch is Tuesday, 28 July morning, with a 3ft SSW swell, 6-second period, and a light cross-offshore breeze from the WSW that cleans it up a bit. Energy is 105, so there’s a little push, but it’s still very ordinary. Thursday, 30 July morning is similar – 2ft SSE swell, 8-second period, clean with a light N cross-offshore. But it’s tiny.

After that, from 31 July right through to 7 August, it’s a desert of flat, tiny waves, mostly 1ft to 2ft, with poor winds and very low energy (mostly under 50). There’s a brief moment on Sunday, 2 August afternoon with a cross-offshore NNW wind at 16 mph cleaning up a 2ft SE swell, but it’s barely a ripple. The standout? The best window is the Tuesday, 28 July morning session, and even then, it’s a 1/10 on a good day. The swell direction is S, and the spot is exposed to SE, so it’s not a great match. The crowds are sometimes a problem here, but honestly, with this quality, you’ll have the place to yourself.

If you’re a kite surfer, the stronger cross-shore winds on Saturday, 25 July and Sunday, 26 July might look more interesting than a paddle. For surfers, it’s a tough call – the whole forecast is a bust. There’s a big gap of flatness from the end of July through the first week of August. The South Jetty is a consistent spot, so this blank run is a bit of a bummer, but forecasts can change. I’d keep an eye on it, but don’t hold your breath.

Rusty.

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