30th Street/Ship Bottom Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Look, I gotta be straight with you – the next 16 days are looking pretty grim for a paddle. That southeast exposure at 30th Street just isn't lining up with any real power. We're looking at a long stretch of tiny, weak, and mostly messy conditions.

The Full Outlook

We kick things off on Thursday the 13th of August with nada – barely a ripple at 0.3ft. That sets the tone. From then on, through to early next week, it's a whole lot of nothing. The swell barely flickers above 2ft most days, and when it does, the wind is usually all over the place. Friday the 15th sees a bit of height but the period is a shocking 4 seconds and the wind is onshore and choppy. Just a mess. Saturday the 16th is even windier with rain showers. Sunday the 17th morning is the first real tease – we get a glassy 2ft wave from the SSE with a combined energy of 54, which is weak, and the period is a short 7 seconds. You might get a few dribblers, but it's barely surfable. The rest of that week is more of the same: onshore winds, short periods, and tiny heights. There's a glassy moment on the morning of Saturday the 22nd with a 3ft south swell and energy of 97, but the period is a very short 5 seconds. It'll be fat and weak.

Then, we get a real tease right at the end. On Thursday the 27th of August, over a week and a half away, we see a jump in energy. The morning shows a 5ft swell from the east with a period of 6 seconds and combined energy of 181 (moderate). It's still a bit of a mush burger, but the energy is there. The afternoon gets a *marginal* call, with a 5ft east swell and energy hitting 221. The period is still only 7 seconds, but the cross-offshore wind could clean it up. For this spot, that's the real standout – a solid, punchy closeout wave that'll be more about power than shape. Friday the 28th holds a 4ft east swell but the energy drops back to 158. It's a glimmer of hope, but it's a long way off and very uncertain.

The Standout

Despite all the flatness, if you're desperate and have a shortboard and a lot of patience, keep an eye on Thursday the 27th of August in the afternoon. That 5ft east swell (221 energy) with a cross-offshore breeze is the best window we've got in the whole outlook. It'll be a washing machine for sure – too big and messy for beginners – but for the experienced crew looking for some power, that's probably your only real shot. Friday the 28th morning might offer a clean-up set too, but the energy is weaker.

Honestly, unless that late-period swell delivers, this is a two-week stretch for checking your gear and checking the cams. It’s a flat spell for 30th Street.

Rusty.

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