Albatross Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s check out what’s going on at Albatross. This is a sheltered beach and reef break that fires consistently when the swell is from the SSW. The water temp is 56°, which is a staggering 10° colder than normal for this time of year – that’s a brutal anomaly, so don’t even think about going out without a thick wetsuit and booties.

We’ve got a ton of swell on the way, but it’s not all clean. The real action starts this Thursday, the 20th of August. Thursday morning is pumping with a 13ft SSW groundswell (14s) and a light cross-off breeze. The combined energy of all swells directed here is a massive 6035 – that’s very strong, heavy water. This is excellent surf for experienced surfers only; anything over 8ft is expert territory. Thursday afternoon drops to 12ft (13s), still clean and powerful (4873), still for the crew who know what they’re doing.

Friday the 21st is a big drop-off. The morning is a marginal 8ft with a cross-on breeze, and the afternoon turns into a choppy mess with onshore winds at 16 mph. Saturday the 22nd is a complete write-off with strong winds, though the waves are clean, the conditions are poor. A couple of days to skip.

Sunday the 23rd is a nice recovery. Morning has 8ft (11s) from the SW with barely a breath of wind (3 mph), and the combined energy is 1764 – clean and very good. The afternoon is the same story, clean and solid. Monday the 24th is the best session of the first week. Both morning and afternoon have offshore winds from the SW, with 7ft and 6ft respectively, and a 12s period. The energy is moderate (around 1100), but it’s clean, lined up, and the reef handles that long period perfectly. This is a true standout – light offshore, good swell, and a point-and-reef setup that loves the long period.

Tuesday the 25th is a gamble. The morning has a 10ft swell (14s) but it’s onshore, with energy at 3150 – strong – but the wind is junk. By the afternoon it’s choppy and cross-on. Wednesday the 26th and Thursday the 27th are marginal to poor, with small waves and messy conditions.

Now, look ahead to Friday the 28th of August. The afternoon turns glassy with a 5ft SW swell (14s). Combined energy is 1049, clean, and glassy wind – that’s a beautiful afternoon session for a longboard or a fish. Saturday the 29th keeps it going with offshore winds both morning and afternoon, 6ft to 7ft, and very good conditions. That’s your second standout.

The period from the 30th of August to the 31st is messy – short period windswell, onshore winds, and poor surf. A gap of a couple of days.

Then we get a late burst. Tuesday the 1st of September morning is a clean 5ft, but the afternoon is a monster: 10ft SSW groundswell with a 15-second period, clean light wind, and a combined energy of 3451. That’s massive, very long period, and it’s only for experts. The break is a reef, so it should handle that power well, but the crowd factor is “sometimes” – expect a few locals out.

Wednesday the 2nd of September holds 10ft SW (13s) with clean offshore winds in the afternoon. Another expert-only session, but very good quality. The energy is 2614. Thursday the 3rd gets blown out by strong winds, and Friday the 4th is a poor end to the run.

So, if you’re planning your sessions, lock in Monday the 24th of August for the clean offshore combo, and Friday the 28th of August afternoon for the glassy conditions. The big stuff on the 1st of September is promising but a long way out, so keep one eye on the forecast.

Rusty.

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