The Spit Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let's break down what we're looking at for the next couple of weeks.

Honestly, it's a tough stretch for The Spit. For the first week, from Tuesday the 28th of July through the afternoon of the 5th of August, the conditions are just plain ugly. We're dealing with mostly cross-shore and cross-onshore winds, and the swell is tiny – mostly 0.6 ft to 3 ft. The combined energy is weak, well under 100 (24-182 range), and the wave comment is a consistent "poor surf conditions". There's a brief moment on the morning of the 29th of July with a clean offshore wind, but the swell is only 2 ft with a 6-second period, so it's a total non-event. It's a real bummer of a start.

We finally get a glimmer of hope on the morning of Monday the 3rd of August. The wind goes glassy from the southwest, and the water is flat calm. The swell is still just 2 ft, but the combined energy bumps up to 125 (moderate). The wave comment calls it "surfable waves but very ordinary conditions". It's not a party, but it's the first sign of life. The period is 11 seconds, which is decent, but it's a SE swell, and for a break that's exposed to the east, it's not the ideal direction.

Now, the big one to mark on your calendar is the morning of Saturday the 8th of August. Look at that: an 8 ft swell from the ESE with a combined energy of 1426. That's a massive pulse of energy. The wind is a cross-shore from the SSE at 12 mph, and the forecast says "wind and tide favorable". But here's the thing – 8 ft is huge for this spot, and the wave comment clearly says it's predicted to be too big. For a river mouth, that's expert-only, no question. The period is 9 seconds, so it's a shorter-period storm swell, which will be a bit messy. It won't be clean, but the raw power is undeniable. If you're a local who knows every sandbar, it's the only day that's got any real juice. The morning of the 11th of August is also a looker: 6 ft from the E, with an 11-second period, and the wind is glassy. The combined energy is 732 (strong). The forecast says "expect very good surf conditions". That's a clean, solid groundswell from a good direction, but it's over a week out, so don't book the trip just yet.

The rest of the second week, the 9th and 10th of August, are "marginal" with cross-onshore winds and choppy conditions. The 12th of August is similar, with a 5 ft E swell and an 11-second period, but the wind is onshore or cross-onshore, which will chop it up. The water temperature is about 69°F, which is pretty average for this time of year, so a spring suit or a thick shorty will do the trick.

The call: The absolute standout is the morning of the 11th of August. That 6 ft, 11-second E groundswell with glassy conditions is the best bet on the board. The morning of the 8th of August is a wild, powerful day, but it's only for the hardcore experts. The first week is a total washout. Don't get your hopes up for The Spit right now, but keep a close eye on that long-range window.

Rusty.

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