Thousand Steps Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Hey folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's shaping up for Thousand Steps over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, we're looking at a pretty quiet stretch. The first recommendation for a surf actually shows up on Wednesday, July 8th, with a small 3ft swell from the SSW, but it's a cross-on breeze and the wave comment says "marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions." Honestly, it's a bit of a write-off for decent waves. We then go through a long, dry spell from Thursday, July 9th, all the way through to Saturday, July 18th. That's over a week of pretty poor or marginal conditions with small, choppy, cross-on slop. The swell barely nudges above 3ft, the wind is never truly clean, and the scores reflect that – it's a tough run. The water temp is 67°F with a 2°F anomaly, so it's a touch warmer than average for this time of year, but that's small comfort when the surf is flat and messy.

The standout, and I mean the *only* real standout in this whole 16-day window, is the morning of Sunday, July 19th. This is where it gets interesting. The forecast shows a 4ft swell from the south, but what gets me excited is the wind: glassy. Total calm. The combined energy of all swells directed here jumps right up to 1117, which is a solid, moderate wave energy. The period is 16 seconds, a proper long-period groundswell that will have some real punch and shape, especially at this reef break. The conditions are described as "excellent surf for experienced surfers." That's the one to circle. However, keep in mind that with a 4ft swell and that long period, it might be a bit too much for absolute beginners, but for anyone intermediate and up, the morning of the 19th is the clear winner. The later part of that day sees the wind swing around and the swell bump up to 5ft, but it gets choppy and messy again.

After that, we get a few more days of marginal conditions through the 20th and 21st, with a bit more size but never the right wind to make it clean. The swell drops back down into the 3ft range with cross-on winds for the rest of the period.

So, look, it's a lean outlook. The long gap between the 8th and the 19th is a bummer, but that glassy Sunday morning (July 19th) at Thousand Steps, with that 4ft S swell and 16-second period, is the only time you'll want to be in the water. It's a classic case of waiting for the right moment. Forecasts can change, so keep an eye on it.

Rusty.

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