Airport Lefts Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s cooking for the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, we’ve got a run of solid, consistent swell on the way for Airport Lefts. The water is sitting at 79°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there. The first couple of days are a bit of a warm-up, with Monday 17 August seeing some cross-off wind and a moderate 5ft SSW swell, but the energy is already building – you can feel it in the water (combined energy 903). It’s clean, but nothing to write home about.

Then, Tuesday 18 August is where the fun really kicks off. The swell jumps to 6ft, the period stretches out to 16 seconds – that’s proper groundswell – and we get offshore wind in the morning. The wave energy is pumping (2197), and conditions are clean and lined up. This is the first real standout of the run. For experienced surfers, this is going to be a treat.

Wednesday 19 August sees the swell push up to 8ft to 8ft with a very long 17 to 18-second period. The energy numbers are huge (3575 to 4095). This is big, powerful surf. It’s still cross-off wind, so it’ll be clean, but at 8ft, this is expert territory only. The long period means the sets will be fat and walling up nicely, but at a reef break like this, it’ll be a proper handful.

The swell hangs around the 7ft to 8ft mark through the end of the week and into the weekend, with clean conditions and moderate cross-off breezes. Saturday 22 August morning sees another pocket of offshore wind, which is a nice bonus. There’s plenty of energy here (2200-3300), and while it’s not quite as huge as mid-week, it’s still solid, solid surf.

By the time we get to the following week, from Monday 24 August onwards, the swell eases back a bit to 6ft to 6ft but the period stays long at 14 to 16 seconds. The energy drops too (into the 1100-1800 range), so it’s more manageable but still clean and fun. Not a standout, but a solid run of waves for the intermediate crew.

There’s a bit of a lull around Wednesday 26 and Thursday 27 August, where the swell dips to 4ft to 5ft, with shorter period. The energy drops under 900 – definitely a quiet patch. But don’t let that fool you.

Because from Sunday 30 August onward, things crank back up. We get a nice 5ft to 7ft SSW swell with 16 to 18-second periods, and the wind shifts to a gentle cross-off from the SSE. The energy rockets back up to 1700-2600. The best part? Sunday 30 August and Monday 31 August morning both have excellent conditions flagged – clean, powerful, and well-shaped for experienced surfers at this reef. This second swell window is the other real standout of the forecast, especially if you’re looking for some solid, clean groundswell.

Overall, the best of the best is Wednesday 19 August for pure size and power (strictly for the dogs out there), and then Sunday 30 August through Monday 31 August for a slightly friendlier but still punchy and clean session. The break is inconsistent, so you’ll need to be patient and pick your tides, but when it turns on, it turns on proper.

Remember, with such long periods – over 15 seconds – the sets will be spaced out, so paddling out is a bit easier, but the waves will be fast and throwy. Keep your wits about you.

Rusty.

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