Wildwood Crest Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s talk about Wildwood. I’ve looked at the charts, and I gotta be straight with you – it’s a pretty bleak stretch for the next 16 days. We’re not looking at any proper surf action to kick things off. The first real glimmer of something surfable doesn’t show up until Wednesday the 22nd, and even then, it’s nothing to write home about.

Let’s start with the whole picture. The combined swell energy is weak for most of this run, with values like 91 (moderate energy) early on, but it’s all short-period, wind-affected slop. The swell is coming from the south and southeast, and the wind is just ruining it. That first Saturday, the 18th, you’ve got 25 mph cross-onshore winds and a 4 ft south swell with a period of just 5 seconds – that’s pure chop. No good.

Sunday the 19th, the wind finally goes offshore from the northwest, but the swell dies right down to 2 ft. It’s clean, but there’s no power. The energy is only 38 (weak). You could paddle out on a log, but it’s not going to be a session.

The first real pulse of energy comes on Wednesday the 22nd. The morning shows a 4 ft south swell with an 8-second period, and the combined energy jumps to 186 (moderate). The wind is cross-offshore from the west, so it’s clean. The rating tells me it’s still “poor surf conditions” though, which is a letdown. The afternoon gets a little better – a 3 ft swell with the same period, but the wind goes offshore from the WNW, and the wave comment says “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions.” That’s the best we’ve got all week. The water temp is around 76°F, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year.

After that, it’s a real grind. Thursday the 23rd and Friday the 24th are small and onshore again. Then we get another pulse late on Tuesday the 28th and into Wednesday the 29th. On Wednesday the 29th, the swell builds to 5 ft to 5 ft from the ENE, with a 7-second period and combined energy hitting 225-263 (moderate). The wind is light and cross-shore – not terrible. The wave comment says “marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions.” That’s the biggest swell of the whole outlook, but it’s short period and the winds are just okay.

After that, it fades again. The last few days of July and into early August are all small, onshore, and weak.

So, the standouts? Honestly, there aren’t any real standouts. The best window is Wednesday the 22nd afternoon, with that clean offshore wind and a bit of energy. If you’re desperate, the morning of Wednesday the 29th has the most size, but it’s not classic. For a beginner, anything over 5 ft is a bit much, and the 5 ft on the 29th might be a handful. For experts, there’s nothing with enough period or power to get excited about.

This is a sandbar break, exposed to the swell, and it’s often crowded. With the strong onshore winds and small, choppy waves, honestly, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing on most of these days.

I’m Rusty, and I’m telling you – keep your expectations low for a while.

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