Alexandra Headland Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, it’s Rusty here. I’ve had a proper look at Alexandra Headland and I’ve got to be straight with you—this 16-day stretch is a tough one. There’s no real standout session, and the good news is pretty thin. We’ve got a long, quiet gap from Wednesday afternoon, 19th August, right through until the end of the month, with only a few fleeting moments that are just *surfable* but nothing worth getting excited about.

The first bit of wave energy we see is on Wednesday afternoon, 19th August, with a 4ft SE swell, period of 11 seconds. That’s a mid-period groundswell, but the wind is a cross SE breeze at 12 mph, which has the water messy and chopped up. The combined energy is moderate at 459, but the score says it’s just poor surf conditions. Water temp is 68°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year—about 2° off the average, so you’ll feel that nip.

The real action, if you can call it that, doesn’t start until Saturday morning, 22nd August. We get a brief window of glassy conditions with a 3ft E swell, 7 seconds. That’s a short-period windswell, and the energy is weak at 130. It’s surfable, but very ordinary. Monday morning, 24th August, gives us another glassy moment, same 3ft E swell, 8 seconds, energy 135—again, just surfable, nothing special.

From there, it’s a long grind of poor surf, cross-shore winds, and onshore slop. The odd clean moment shows up on the 26th and 27th of August, with a light cross-offshore breeze and 3ft NE swells, but the energy is weak (132-137) and the waves are just tiny. The crowd profile at Alex is “often” busy, so even on these small, ordinary days, you’ll have company.

The only real spike in swell hits way out on Thursday, 3rd September—that’s over two weeks away. We get a 7ft SE swell, but it’s a short, 7-second period windswell, and the wind is a cross-onshore ENE breeze at 9 mph. The combined energy jumps to 497 (moderate to strong), but the conditions are poor, with a gentle cross-onshore chop. That’s a lot of water moving around, but it’s messy—more of a kite-surfing vibe than a clean paddle session.

Honestly, through this whole 16-day window, there’s not a single session that screams “go.” The consistent, exposed beach and point setup at Alex Headland usually delivers, but this forecast is a dud. The best I can say is the glassy mornings on the 22nd and 24th might give you a few fun, knee-high waves if you’re desperate. But for a proper wave, you’re looking at a long wait. Forecasts can change though—it’s the nature of the game.

Rusty.

Read more