When does the ocean start to lay down?

This is my first year fishing in the ocean. Been watching the marine forecast every day looking for days with winds less than 20 knots and swells less than 5ft. As most here know, very few of those days so far this year. Do things get better later in the summer? I've heard fall can be great but seems like a long way off.....

It's forecast (so far) to lay down on Thursday - go if you can! 'Cause it is ramping back up for the weekend if the forecast holds true.

The ocean is always more calm in the late summer and fall, September and October usually have long periods without wind and very low swell.

True, that. Particularly flat and smooth during Sharktober!

   Good question. Look for two or three days of less wind/smaller swell/ and if you are diving....shorter intervals between swells.
   In a kayak we need a safety cushion...lame to travel three hours for a small window, get there and the wind is up or the swell is brutal. Or the ocean changes for the worst fast.

   If you do not have a cushion, stay close to your launch, a mile or so, and closer to shore, maybe head north for an easy ride home.

   Study all the weather info, do your homework...Good weather is just around the bend. It has been a windy June.

   Good luck!

This year's rougher water on average seems correlated to the wetter weather pattern.  I can remember many years past when we'd had plenty of flat days to this point in the season...

Only been out twice this year so far....can't wait to get out again. And can't wait to get up to the cove, Eric!

The cool event ("La Nina") and the warm event ("El Nino") of the Southern Oscillation are battling for which one will dominate the Pacific weather pattern.  Once one or the other dominates, we should start seeing fewer periods of instability...

Or: it may take until October. 

It's going to be an unusual year.  Be patient.

This would be a good time to practice self rescue 

I think it's scheduled to lay down on August 23rd this year...

IMO, you always need to be ready to accept it is a "NO GO" day and live to try another day despite having driven a long way.

There are a couple good looking windows forecast if you have flexibility.

Not much you can do with mother nature and weather conditions, specially with weekend fishermen like me.
I had to take a couple of days off from work to take advantage to good ocean conditions and the results were awesome.  Thats why I have my favorite weather sites bookmarked for good fishing days. 

if you go to the Ocean pick places that are protected from the wind, some coves are better than others.
find out the direction of the prevailing winds and get back as it starts blowing and don't wait till it gets nasty.
remember that the better conditions ( most of the time ) are early in the morning.
always dress for immersion and carry a VHF radio.

There are plenty of people looking for hook-ups to go fishing so never go alone.

if you go to the ocean, pick places that are protected from the wind, some coves are better than others.
find out the direction of the prevailing winds and get back as it starts blowing and don't wait till it gets nasty.
remember that the better conditions ( most of the time ) are early in the morning.
always dress for immersion and carry a VHF radio.

There are plenty of people looking for hook-ups to go fishing so never go alone.