Vilano Jetty Surf Forecast and Surf Report

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

Right off the bat, I gotta be honest with you – it’s looking flat. Real flat. We’ve got a long stretch of tiny, weak waves with poor surf conditions dominating the forecast. The first week is pretty much a write-off for any decent paddle surfing. The combined energy readings are all in the low double digits, peaking at a weak 89, which is telling us there’s just no guts in the water.

For the first recommendation, let’s talk about Vilano Jetty. It’s a beach/jetty setup that’s fairly consistent, but it’s not going to save us here. The water temperature is sitting at 84°F, which is pretty much normal for this time of year, so you won’t need a thick wetsuit if you’re just splashing around.

Let’s walk through it day by day.

Wednesday, July 22 – Morning is a no-go. Tiny 2ft swell from the ESE with a short 6-second period. The wind is cross-off, but the wave energy is only 40. By the afternoon, the wind picks up and turns cross, making it even messier with a 3ft wave that has a period of just 4 seconds. That’s whitewash city.

Thursday, July 23 – Another dud. Morning drops to 1.0ft and the energy is down to 23. Afternoon brings a slightly bigger 3ft swell, but still a 4-second period and cross winds. No good.

Friday, July 24 – The morning is clean-ish with a light breeze, but it’s cross-on at 2ft. The afternoon gets a bit of energy up to 89, but it’s a short-period 8-second ESE swell and cross winds. Not worth the paddle out.

Saturday, July 25 – Morning is the closest we get to a highlight. A glassy 2ft wave from the east with a light wind. The energy is 44, so it’s weak, but it’s clean. If you’re absolutely desperate for a float, this is your window. Afternoon brings a risk of thunderstorms and a bump in energy to 124, but it’s cross-on and messy.

Sunday, July 26 – Morning is clean with a cross-off wind, but it’s only 2ft. The afternoon has a risk of storms and a 2ft wave that’s a bit choppy. Still nothing to write home about.

Monday, July 27 – Glassy morning with a 1ft wave. The energy is 20. It’s pretty, but there’s nothing to ride.

Tuesday, July 28 – Glassy morning again, 1ft, energy 21. Afternoon is clean with a cross-off wind, but the wave is only 1.0ft. The energy drops to 13.

Wednesday, July 29 – This is the best we’re going to see in the first week. Morning is offshore wind, clean, with a 1.0ft wave from the east with a 9-second period. The energy is still low at 13. It’s a long-period groundswell, which means better shaped waves, but at this size, it’s just a ripple. Afternoon stays clean but the wave is still tiny.

Thursday, July 30 through Sunday, August 2 – More of the same. Tiny waves, 0.7ft to 1ft, with clean conditions in the mornings and cross winds in the afternoons. The energy never breaks 30. The offshore winds on August 2nd morning are a tease, but the wave is only 1ft.

Monday, August 3 through Thursday, August 6 – The second week is even worse. The swell drops to 0.3ft and 0.7ft, with onshore and cross-on winds. The energy readings are in the single digits. On August 6th morning, it’s clean with a light wind, but again, only 1.0ft.

So, the honest truth? There are no standouts. No one day is better than the others. The only time you might get a clean, glassy ride is on the morning of Saturday, July 25, or the morning of Sunday, July 27, but those waves are barely ankle-high. The swell is too small, the period is too short, and the energy is too weak to produce anything rideable for a paddle surfer.

The setup here is more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer on most days, because the wind is consistent and the waves are small and choppy.

We’ve got a solid 16-day gap of poor surf. It’s a blank run. Forecasts can change, but for now, leave the board at home and go for a swim.

Stay salty,
Rusty

Read more