Wildwood Crest Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it. The long look ahead is a bit of a waiting game to be honest. We’ve got a stretch of small, junky surf for most of the next week and a half, so you’re gonna have to be patient if you’re chasing anything decent. The good news is there are a couple of windows where things almost come together, but they’re not going to blow you away.

The first real chance to get wet is on Saturday afternoon, August 8th, at Wildwood Crest (Wildwood). It’s not big—only about 2ft of S swell—but the wind is light and cross-off, which should keep the sandbar here cleaner than it has been. The wave energy is weak at 57, so it’s more about getting a few grovelly ones than any real power. It’s a beginner-friendly spot and fairly consistent, so it could be fun if you’ve got a log and low expectations. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The next small window is Saturday afternoon, August 15th, when the swell direction swings around to the E. It’s still small at 3ft, but that combo of light N wind and a cross-off angle makes it look a bit more lined up. Wave energy is still weak at 50, so it’s not a day to paddle out for a thrill, but it’s the most promising the surf has looked in a while.

After that, the swell starts to build a bit from the E as we move into the second week. On Sunday, August 16th, you’re looking at 4ft to 4ft, but the wind is onshore or cross-shore, which is going to make a mess of it. The energy is starting to pick up—86 by the afternoon—but it’s not clean, so it’s more of a chop fest.

The potential standout, and I say this with some caution since it’s more than a week out, is on Monday, August 17th and Tuesday, August 18th. The E swell is holding around 3ft to 4ft, and the energy is climbing into the moderate range—up to 165 on Tuesday morning. The problem is the wind is cross-on and onshore from the ESE, which is going to put a lot of bump on it. This setup looks more like it’ll be wind-swept and lumpy, so I’d say it’s more interesting for the kite crew than us paddle surfers.

The last faint glimmer is on Wednesday morning, August 19th. The swell drops back to 2ft, but the wind goes glassy with a light SSE breeze, and the period is up to 8 seconds. It’s tiny, and the energy is weak at 46, but if you just want to get the board wet in clean conditions, this might be your best bet for smooth shoulders on the sandbar.

So, overall, the next 16 days are pretty lackluster. There are no big swells, no long-period groundswell to get excited about, and the wind is mostly not in our favor. The most promising calls are Saturday the 15th and Wednesday the 19th, but both are small and not for the faint of heart. Keep the expectations low, and you might snag a few.

Rusty.

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