Whitby Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it. Rusty here, and I’ve been staring at these charts for Whitby. Honestly, for the next week and a half, it’s a bit of a rough ride.

Right now, and for the next several days, the surf is pretty flat and messy. We’re looking at a long stretch of poor conditions starting from Wednesday the 8th, all the way through to the morning of the 20th of July. That’s a solid 12 days with nothing worth paddling out for – just tiny waves, mostly cross-onshore winds, and the combined swell energy is weak, barely hitting triple digits (the best of it is only 131 on the Monday morning of the 13th, but the wind ruins it). There’s hardly any punch. The water temp is sitting at 58°F which is about normal for this time of year up here.

But hold on. Things get seriously interesting around the 20th of July. That Monday morning, the 20th, we get a clean, glassy start with a 7ft swell from the north, period around 8 seconds. The combined energy jumps to 596 (moderate). The wind is light and glassy – dead calm from the northeast. That’s a window. Whitby is a beach/pier setup, fairly exposed to the north, and that north swell will push in nicely. The swell is a bit solid for beginners at that size, but for intermediates and up, that morning glass-off is prime.

Then Tuesday the 21st – and this is the standout. We’ve got a big, powerful north swell pushing 12ft with a period of 9-10 seconds. The combined energy is huge, over 2100. That’s strong. The morning sees a cross-offshore wind from the WNW, keeping the face clean. This is expert-only territory though – over 8ft, it’s for the experienced crew. The swell direction from the north matches what the break likes (optimum ENE so that north swell will wrap in). It’s a proper groundswell, long period, so expect long lulls between sets and powerful, shaping waves. Whitby being a beach/pier, those long period swells can be a bit fat and close out on the beach, so the pier might offer a better line. If you’re a strong paddler, this is the day.

Wednesday the 22nd afternoon cleans up nicely – glassy conditions with a 6ft swell. That’s a more manageable size, probably the best all-rounder for the big swells. It’s a little smaller, but the wind is glassy from the WSW, and the combined energy is still solid (786). Good moderate wave energy for a fun session.

So to sum it up: the first 12 days are a bust. Forget it. But the 20th through the 22nd of July is where it’s at. The standout is Tuesday the 21st for the big, powerful north swell – but only if you’ve got the skill. The 22nd afternoon is a cleaner, slightly smaller option for the rest of us. Keep an eye on the wind shifts, because when it’s good here, it’s really good. Crowds at Whitby are often, so expect company on those good days.

Rusty.

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