30th Street/Ship Bottom Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer for the next couple of weeks.

To be brutally honest, this is a grim stretch for 30th Street/Ship Bottom. We’re looking at a long, flat run of tiny, disappointing surf with hardly a session worth paddling out for. The first real bump of energy doesn’t show up until Monday the 20th, and even then it’s nothing to write home about.

The water is currently a balmy 76°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year – that’s a nice touch, but it’s about the only thing going for it.

For the first five days, from Tuesday the 14th right through Saturday the 18th, it’s a total write-off. Swell heights are stuck below 2 ft, and the combined energy is weak, barely cracking 20 or 30 (24). Tuesday and Wednesday do have clean conditions with offshore wind, but there’s simply no swell to work with.

Sunday the 19th is the first tiny glimmer. The morning has a 2 ft SSE swell and a 12 mph offshore wind, keeping things clean, but the energy is still weak (47). The afternoon gets a little more interesting – that swell bumps to 3 ft from the SSE, 8 seconds, and the energy climbs to 78. The wind is a gentle offshore, so you’d get some clean, very ordinary waves. It’s surfable, but you’d really be scraping the barrel.

Monday the 20th sees a modest increase. The morning has 3 ft from the SSE, with moderate energy (111), but the wind is a light cross-onshore, messing up the surface. The afternoon is a mess of cross-shore wind and a drop in energy.

The only period that might be worth a look is Wednesday the 22nd. The morning offers a 3 ft SSE swell, a 9-second period, and a solid 12 mph cross-offshore wind from the NNW. The energy is moderate at 171, and the wind is offshore, so the waves will be reasonably clean. Still, it’s a small, weak swell for this spot, and it’s not going to blow anyone away.

The second week is a continuation of the same story. A few more pulses of 3 ft to 3 ft swell around Saturday the 25th and Sunday the 26th, with clean offshore winds, but the energy remains moderate and the wave quality is consistently described as poor. The longest gap with no real recommendation is from the 14th to the 19th – nearly a week of flat, unappealing conditions.

Honestly, the best bet is Wednesday the 22nd morning, with a 3 ft SSE swell, 9-second period, and clean offshore wind. It’s not a standout, it’s just the least bad option. The setup here is a beach break, and with the swell being so small, it’s fine for beginners, but experienced surfers will be left wanting. For the rest of the window, you’re better off finding something else to do.

Rusty.

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