White Crest Beach (Wellfleet) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Gonna be straight with you – the next 16 days are looking like a bit of a struggle for the Cape. We’ve got a solid run of small, messy conditions before we even see a glimmer of something rideable.

The first real chance of getting wet won’t be until Monday the 19th of August. Up until then, it’s tiny and choppy. The standout? There isn’t really one, but we’ll do the best with what we’ve got.

Let’s start with White Crest Beach (Wellfleet). The water is sitting at a balmy 71°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so you can leave the 5/4 at home.

Monday the 19th of August morning is your first real look. We’re talking a tiny 2 ft of swell from the SE with a short 7-second period, so the energy is weak (43). The wind is light and cross-off, keeping it clean, but these are surfable waves in very ordinary conditions. It’s a beginner-friendly sandbar, so if you’re learning, this is your window. After that, it’s back to junk through to the end of the week.

There’s a big gap of nothing but poor surf conditions until Monday the 25th of August. That morning, the wind goes light and cross-off again, with a tiny 1 ft of SE swell. The energy is still weak (41), but the clean, glassy conditions are a major positive. Again, “surfable” is the best description.

Then we hit another big gap, but the end of the week shows some interesting action. On Thursday the 29th of August, the swell starts to get some real size, but it’s all onshore and messy. By Sunday the 31st of August, the energy levels spike. The morning shows a 3 ft E swell with a long 15-second period from the E, and the combined energy hits a massive 752, which is strong. However, the wind is a near-gale from the N (34 mph), making it a complete washout for surfing. The afternoon is a bit tamer at 4 ft, but still messy.

The best bet in the entire window is Monday the 1st of September. The morning brings a clean 2 ft swell from the E (9-second period) with a light cross-off breeze from the NNW. The energy is moderate (106). It’s not the swell of the year, but it’s the only time the conditions line up for a decent, clean session. Don’t expect perfection, but it’s the best we’ve got.

Honestly, for the rest of the run, the setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing with these onshore winds. Keep your eyes on the forecasts, because it tends not to stay this poor for long.

Rusty.

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