Thousand Steps Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming down the pipe for Thousand Steps.

Honestly, looking at the whole 16-day window, the surf is pretty flat and the wind is a constant issue. The swell is tiny, the energy is weak, and the wind almost always has a cross-on component, making things choppy and messy. There’s no standout session, no day to get truly excited about. The best we can say is that there are a few windows where the conditions are merely ‘marginal’ rather than outright poor.

The water is sitting at 75°F, which is a massive 9°F warmer than usual for this time of year. That’s very unusual, and you’ll be surfing in a bath.

The first few days are a write-off. From Wednesday the 5th of August, it’s tiny 1ft SW swell with a 14-second period, which is a long-period groundswell, but combined energy is only 94 – that’s weak. The wind is a cross-on 9 mph from the west, so it’s just choppy and poor. Nothing to see here.

Thursday the 6th of August is a little better with a 2ft to 2ft SSW swell, and the period drops to 13 seconds. The wind goes light and onshore in the morning, then light and onshore in the afternoon. It’s clean in terms of wind, but the swell is just too small to get excited about. The energy is still moderate at 114 and 200.

Friday the 7th of August is the first time we see a ‘marginal’ rating. The swell is 2ft from the SSW with a very long period of 19 seconds. That’s a proper groundswell, but it’s tiny. The combined energy is 353, which is moderate. The morning has light offshore wind from the SW, which is perfect for a reef break like this, but the lack of size means it’s just a knee-high dribble.

The weekend into the following week is more of the same. Swell hovers between 2ft and 3ft, periods between 14 and 17 seconds, and the wind is almost always cross-on or light offshore. The energy stays in the moderate range (200-320). The ‘marginal’ tags pop up on Sunday afternoon the 9th, Tuesday afternoon the 11th, and again on Wednesday the 12th, but the surf is still too small to warrant a paddle.

The end of the second week, around the 14th and 15th of August, sees a slight bump in swell. We get 2ft to 3ft SSW swell, but the real story is the combined energy jumping to 540 and 631 – that’s moderate to strong energy. The period is long, 18 to 19 seconds. The problem is the wind is cross-on, so the quality is still ‘marginal’ at best. For a deep-water reef like Thousand Steps, that long-period groundswell should wrap in nicely, but with the cross-on wind, it’s going to be bumpy.

The last few days from the 16th of August onward fade back into the same pattern: tiny swell, moderate energy, and cross-on winds. The 18th of August has a 12 mph cross-on from the WNW, making it choppy and unappealing.

So, the honest truth is there’s no great surf on offer. The swell is too small to push through the chop, and the wind is never your friend. The highlight of the whole 16 days, if you can call it that, is the long-period groundswell on the 7th and the bump in energy on the 14th and 15th, but even then it’s only marginal. If you’re desperate for a paddle, the light offshore mornings with the 2ft to 2ft swell are the cleanest, but you’ll be on a shortboard or a log.

Stay patient, and keep an eye on the forecasts. It won’t stay this flat forever.

Rusty

Read more