Alexandra Headland Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the table for the next couple of weeks at Alexandra Headland.

To be straight with you, the next week or so is pretty flat and ordinary. We’re looking at a long stretch of small, weak waves with not much to get excited about. The first real chance of anything decent doesn’t show up until the 17th of August, so there’s a bit of a wait. The water temperature is sitting at 68°, which is about average for this time of year.

The best window looks to be from the 19th of August onward, but we’ve got to get through the quiet spell first. For the first few days, it’s all small 3ft to 1ft stuff with weak energy. The wind is mostly light and cross-off or glassy at times, like on the morning of the 9th, when it’s glassy with a 3ft swell from the east at 9 seconds. That’s a clean little session for a beginner board, but the energy is still modest at 213. Don’t expect any power.

There’s a bit of a pulse on the 12th with a 4ft swell from the north, but the period is a short 5 seconds and the wind is cross-on. That’s messy, choppy stuff. Not worth paddling out for.

From the 13th through the 16th, it’s tiny again – 1ft to 3ft – with offshore winds on the 13th, but the swell is just too small to ride properly. The energy readings are down in the 30s and 50s, so it’s flat.

Now, things start to change around the 17th of August. We get a jump in swell height to 6ft from the ESE with a period of 6 seconds, and the energy climbs to 267. That’s still a bit raw and short-period, but the wind is cross-off and clean. It’s not great yet, but it’s a sign of what’s coming.

The standout period is from the morning of the 19th through the 22nd. On the 19th, we’ve got a solid 10ft swell from the ESE at 9 seconds, with cross-off winds in the morning and cross-shore in the afternoon. The energy is massive – 1261 in the morning and 1806 in the afternoon. This is big, powerful surf. Anything over 8ft is for experts only, so if you’re not confident, stay out of the water. The period is moderate at 9 seconds, so it’s not the cleanest groundswell, but there’s plenty of push.

The 20th of August keeps the 10ft swell going in the morning, but the period jumps to 11 seconds – that’s a proper groundswell. The wind is cross-shore, so expect some chop. Energy is through the roof at 3383. That’s serious power. By the afternoon, it drops to 8ft with a 11-second period and cross-off wind, which is cleaner. Still expert territory.

The 21st of August holds 8ft to 8ft swell from the east at a very long 13 seconds. That’s a long-period groundswell, and at a beach-and-point setup like Alexandra Headland, the long period can make it a bit straight and walled-up. Best suited for the point rather than the beach. The energy is still huge – 2039 in the morning. Winds are cross-shore, so it’s not perfect, but it’s powerful.

The 22nd of August looks like the pick of the bunch for the everyday surfer. The swell drops to a more manageable 6ft from the east at 12 seconds, with cross-off wind in the morning. The energy is still solid at 814, and the period is long enough to give shape. This is where you want to be – clean, powerful, but not insane. The afternoon drops to 5ft with cross-shore wind.

If you’re after the biggest, most powerful waves, the 19th and 20th of August are your days, but only for experts. For a solid, surfable session, the morning of the 22nd of August is the best bet.

Remember, crowds at Alexandra Headland can be there often, so expect company on the good days.

Stay safe out there.

Rusty.

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