Tices Sholls Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at the only wave on the radar.

To be straight with you, the next 16 days are a flat, frustrating stretch for this spot. The data covers from August 28th right through to September 12th, and honestly, if you’re a surfer, there’s nothing worth paddling out for. You’ll see a couple of windows where the ocean isn’t completely dead, but the quality is so ordinary you’d be better off saving your energy. There’s a long, boring gap right from the start, with no real surf to get excited about. The first couple of mornings—Friday the 28th and even into the following week—are a write-off.

Tices Sholls sees barely any energy. The swell never cracks 3 ft, and most of the time it’s hanging around 1 ft to 2 ft, coming from the SE. Not the direction this sandbar wants. The combined swell energy is weak, often in the 20s and 30s, and even the highest reading—141 on the morning of September 2nd—is only moderate power. That’s still not enough to make these tiny, short-period (8 seconds or less) waves do anything special. The water temperature is sitting at 75°F, which is a touch warmer than usual for this time of year (anomaly of 3°F), so at least it’s not freezing when you’re sitting there waiting for a wave that never comes.

The standout moment? If I was desperate, I’d look at Monday morning, September 7th. It’s the only time the numbers come close to being interesting. The swell is 2 ft from the E, with a period of 11 seconds—that’s a longer-period swell, more likely to wrap in and offer a bit of shape. The combined energy hits 143 (moderate), and with NNW wind at 3 mph making it glassy, it’s the cleanest window of the entire forecast. But even then, the waves are tiny and the guidance rates the conditions as just “surfable but very ordinary.” It’s a consolation prize, not a proper session.

The rest of the time? Mostly cross-shore winds, onshore junk, and a lot of chop. The afternoon of August 28th and many days after are plagued by poor conditions. The longer-period 14-second swell on September 1st is a cruel tease—it’s only 0.7 ft, so it’s an absolute flat spell with no power. For a sandbar like Tices Sholls, longer-period swells can be too straight, but that doesn’t matter when there’s no height to even ride.

Don’t expect any crowds because there’s nothing to crowd for. This is a blank run. When the surf is this bad for this long, it’s just normal for the area. Forecasts can change, but right now, leave your board in the car.

- Rusty

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