30th Street/Ship Bottom Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, let’s have a look at what’s on offer.

First off, the water’s running at 74°F – feels proper muggy, well above what you’d expect for early July. That’s a notable anomaly of about 5°F, so you’re in for a warm one if you’re paddling out at 30th Street/Ship Bottom.

Honestly, the next week and a half is a tough watch. From now through to the middle of the month, the swell is tiny – mostly 0.6ft to 2ft – and the combined energy barely pushes past 20 to 60 (weak). It’s mostly ESE or SE, short period around 6 to 9 seconds, which is just windswash. The wave comment says "poor surf conditions" right the way through, so it’s not worth wetting a suit for. There is a stretch of days – Friday 3rd July through to Monday 13th July – where you’d struggle to find a single proper ride. That’s a long gap, about ten days of flat to near-flat, with only the occasional tiny bump.

Saturday 4th July afternoon does go glassy, which is a tease, but with 1ft and 20 combined energy, it’s barely a ripple. Don’t be fooled.

Things start to lift around Wednesday 15th July. We finally see morning and afternoon sessions with 4ft swell from the SSE, period 7 seconds, and combined energy jumping to 157 (moderate). The wind turns offshore from the W and WSW, so it’ll be clean. The wave comment upgrades to “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions” – it’s not epic, but after all that flatness, something to paddle for.

Thursday 16th July morning is the real standout. Swell drops slightly to 3ft from the SSE, but the wind goes dead calm – glassy conditions. Combined energy is 69, still modest, but with zero wind and a clean surface, the little wedges will be fun for a beginner. 30th Street is a beginner-friendly spot, and with crowds listed as "sometimes", you might have it mostly to yourself that morning.

Through the rest of that second week, the weekend of 18th and 19th July sees the swell push to 4ft again, but from the S at a short 5-second period. It’s rough, sloppy energy – combined energy around 84-102 (moderate), but it’s not going to offer any shape. For a beach break like 30th Street, that short-period S swell will be all whitewater. Might be worth a bodyboard, but for a proper surf it’s a miss.

So, if you’re planning ahead, the only window worth getting excited about is the morning of Thursday 16th July – glassy, tiny but clean, great for a beginner or someone just needing to get wet. Wednesday 15th July is the next best bet, with offshore winds and just enough height to get a few close-outs. The rest? Leave the board on the racks.

Stay patient, lads. It tends not to stay poor forever. Forecasts change.

Rusty

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