30th Street/Ship Bottom Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here again. Let’s break down 30th Street/Ship Bottom in feet and knots.

Honestly, mate, this is a tough one. We’re looking at a 16-day window that’s painfully flat, and a total write-off for any real stand-up surfing. There’s a long gap of small, weak surf right from the start, and it doesn’t really improve until we’re a week and a half in. The water temp is sitting at 76°F, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year, so at least you won’t need a thick wetsuit for the paddle.

For the first week and a half, from July 12th through to about July 19th, the swell is tiny. We’re looking at knee-high slop at best, with waves around 1 ft to 2 ft. The combined energy is weak, mostly in the 12 to 40 range, so there’s just no push. The wind is all over the place—cross-on, cross-off, light offshores—but it doesn’t matter because there’s nothing to ride. The period is short, between 5 and 9 seconds, so it’s just messy, wind-driven chop. Glassy conditions on the 17th afternoon are a tease, but the wave height is only 1 ft. There’s a glimmer on the 19th afternoon with a 3 ft S swell and a 4-second period, but it’s still weak (30 combined energy) and not worth the paddle.

Now, the one standout in this whole outlook is Monday the 20th of July, into Tuesday the 21st. Monday afternoon, a 5 ft S swell rolls in with a 6-second period, and the combined energy jumps to 134 (moderate). That’s the biggest swell of the whole forecast. The break is exposed, so it’ll pick that up, but it’s coming with a cross wind and a cross-chop, so it won’t be clean. By Tuesday morning, the swell drops to 4 ft S, but the wind turns cross-off at 12 knots, making it cleaner. The energy is 81 on Tuesday morning and 109 on Tuesday afternoon, with clean conditions. That Tuesday afternoon session is probably your best bet—4 ft S swell, clean cross-off wind, and moderate energy. It’s a beginner-friendly break, so that 4 ft size is fine for learners, but it won’t be a ripper for experts. Crowds are sometimes there, so you might have to share.

After that, from July 22nd onward, it fades back to small, weak surf again, with heights mostly under 2 ft and energy dropping back under 100. It’s clean, but tiny. The 16th day, July 27th, is just 1 ft mush.

So, if you’re itching to get wet, the best window is Tuesday the 21st of July afternoon. Head to 30th Street/Ship Bottom for the 4 ft S swell with clean conditions. It’s a beginner spot, so it’s manageable, but don’t expect anything epic. For the rest of the time, leave the board at home and maybe go for a swim.

Rusty.

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