30th Street/Ship Bottom Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what the next couple of weeks have in store for us. To be straight with you, it's looking pretty grim. We've got a long stretch ahead with very little to get excited about.

The first signs of any real surf don't show up until Friday, August 7th. Up until then, it's flat or close to it. From the start of the period right through to Thursday the 6th, the water is just a mess of small, weak windswell with barely any energy. The combined energy levels are in the low double digits, hardly enough to push a sea lion around. We're looking at a solid 3-day gap of nothing worth paddling out for.

Finally, on Friday morning, August 7th, we get a tiny pulse. 30th Street/Ship Bottom will see a small 3.6ft swell coming from the S, but it's a short period of 6 seconds. The wind will be a cross-off from the SW, so it'll be clean, but the wave energy is only moderate, about 142 (moderate). The water temperature is sitting at 76.6°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year. Honestly, it's surfable, but it's very ordinary. You'll be fighting for scraps.

Saturday the 8th is much the same story. A morning session might give you a similar 3.6ft S swell, but again, all short period and weak energy (134). The wind is clean, but the waves are just lifeless. The crowds are possible here, and with conditions this poor, everyone will be huddled around the same few lumps.

The only real standout, and I'm using the term loosely, looks to be Monday, August 10th. The afternoon offers a bump up to 3.6ft from the SSW, with a period of 7 seconds. The combined energy jumps to 171 (moderate), and the wind switches to a clean offshore from the W at 15 mph. That's the best combo we'll see. It's still not big, but for this stretch of flatness, it's the pick of the bunch. The waves will be clean and lined up by the offshore breeze, but don't expect any power.

After that, the second week just fades out into nothing. From Tuesday the 11th all the way through Wednesday the 19th, we're looking at tiny, weak swell with energy levels barely cracking 65. The period is short, and the winds are all over the place. There's a moment of glassy conditions on Thursday the 13th afternoon, but with only 1.3ft of swell, you'd be better off taking a nap. The 16th has a brief glassy morning, but with a 1.6ft swell from the N and a period of just 4 seconds, it's a non-event.

So, bottom line: if you're dying for a paddle, Monday the 10th afternoon is your best bet for the cleanest, most rideable waves. The rest of the 16 days is a write-off. Keep the board in the car and the wax in the wrapper.

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