Albatross Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer.

We’ve got a solid block of swell coming through, but it’s not all smooth sailing. The standout window is from Thursday the 6th right through to Saturday the 8th, with a serious pulse of groundswell and clean conditions. If you’re after the best of the best, that’s where you want to be.

The first real surfable swell hits on Tuesday afternoon, the 4th of August. Albatross (a beach and reef setup) will see a 4ft SSW swell, with a period of 11 seconds and clean offshore wind from the SW. The water is a very chilly 59°, which is a massive 7° colder than normal for this time of year – that’s very unusual, so you’ll want a thick wetsuit. The combined energy is moderate (773). It’s a gentle start, but it’s clean.

Wednesday the 5th is a bit of a mixed bag. The morning goes cross-shore with a smaller 3ft SSW swell, not the best shape. But hold on – Wednesday afternoon is a major step up. The swell jumps to 6ft from the SW, with a very long period of 16 seconds and gentle offshore wind. The combined energy is strong (1527). This is a proper groundswell, and the point break nature of the reef here will love it.

Now, Thursday the 6th is where it gets serious. Both morning and afternoon see a solid 12ft SW swell, with a period of 13 seconds. The wind is offshore and clean. The combined energy is very strong (4947 in the morning, 3824 in the afternoon). This is expert territory – too big for beginners, and it’s going to be a heavy, powerful wave. The best of the best starts here.

Friday the 7th is a dream. Morning is glassy, dead calm, with a 10ft SW swell and a 12-second period. The energy is strong (2331). Afternoon is even better – 10ft SW swell, 14-second period, and gentle offshore wind. The energy is very strong (2883). This is the kind of day you call in sick for. The offshore wind and long period mean the reef will be firing with clean, long walls.

Saturday the 8th keeps the quality high. Morning is glassy again with a 10ft SW swell and 14-second period, energy very strong (3150). Afternoon drops slightly to 8ft, but still with a 13-second period and clean cross-offshore wind. This is a top-tier weekend.

Sunday the 9th gets messy. The swell is huge at 15ft in the morning, but the wind is a strong 40 km/h offshore from the WSW. It’s clean but very hard to paddle into, and the energy is extreme (6786). The afternoon sees 13ft, still with strong wind. This is for experts only, and even then, it’s a battle. The beach and reef setup might be more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Monday the 10th drops off a bit. The swell is still 10ft from the S, but the wind is cross-offshore from the SSE and fresher. The energy is strong (2515), but the quality is marginal. The wind is turning onshore by Tuesday the 11th, with a 8ft SE swell and cross-onshore breeze. That’s a poor outlook.

There’s a gap from Wednesday the 12th to Saturday the 15th where the swell is much smaller, around 4ft to 6ft, and the wind is mostly onshore or cross-onshore. Not great. But keep an eye on Thursday the 13th – morning is glassy with a 5ft SW swell and a very long 16-second period. The energy is moderate (1567). It’s small but clean, and the long period will give it shape.

The next big pulse arrives on Monday the 17th of August. The swell jumps to 12ft from the SW, but the wind is cross-onshore from the ENE. The energy is very strong (4651), but the conditions are marginal. The best of the second week is on Tuesday the 18th. Both morning and afternoon see a 12ft SW swell, 13-14 second period, and clean cross-offshore wind. The energy is very strong (4646/3927). This is a promising, powerful swell, but it’s over a week away, so a bit less certain.

The last big swell hits on Wednesday the 19th, with a 15ft SW swell and a 14-second period, but the wind is a fresh 30 km/h offshore. The energy is extreme (8108). Again, this is for experts only, and the wind will make it challenging.

The absolute standout is Friday the 7th into Saturday the 8th. That’s the pick of the run, with glassy or gentle offshore winds, long-period groundswell, and serious energy. For the second week, Tuesday the 18th is the one to watch, but it’s a long-range call.

Rusty.

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