15th Street Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about the next little while at 15th Street.

It’s a bit of a slow start for paddle surfing, there's a few days of poor conditions before we get something half decent. The swell direction is mainly from the SSW, pretty average for this spot, which really wants it more from the WSW to make the most of its setup. For most of this first week, the wave heights are small, nothing much above 3ft, and with the wind mostly on it, you are fighting an uphill battle. The combined energy hovers between 201 and 475 (moderate energy), which sounds okay, but the shape is just messy. Tuesday the 18th morning has the best chance this early on with a 2ft SSW swell and a very long 16-second period – that’s proper groundswell. But the 1/10 score says it all. The tide and shape just won't come together. Forget the rest of that week, it’s a write-off.

The first true stand-out, and honestly the only one worth circling, is Saturday the 29th of August. That morning, the combined energy jumps to 816 (strong wave energy) with a 3ft SSW swell and a long 18-second period. The wind is light but cross-on, which isn't perfect, but it's manageable. The afternoon improves with the 4ft SSW swell and the combined energy hits 890, still strong. The period is still a healthy 17-seconds. This is a genuine, moderate-sized long-period groundswell; it will produce clean lines for those who know this reef setup. For beginners, the 4ft swell on Sunday the 30th morning is pushing that threshold. It feels a proper run of moderate waves.

The long-period swells here are a double-edged sword on a beach and reef setup – they’ll hold up well on the reef sections, but can close out on the sand if you are not in the right spot. The water temp is about average for this time of year, no major anomaly worth shouting about. It's been a quiet week, but trust me, that late August window looks a whole lot more interesting than anything else in this run.

Stay patient.

Rusty.

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