Alexandra Headland Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Howdy, Rusty here. Looks like we’re in for a bit of a patience test at Alexandra Headland. The next couple of weeks are gonna be a mixed bag—mostly poor conditions with a few brief windows where things might line up, but nothing to get too excited about overall. The water’s sitting at 68°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year, so you’ll want a decent wetsuit.

The week starts rough. Monday the 17th through to Wednesday the 19th of August, we’ve got lumpy, cross-shore winds and a short-period swell around 5 ft to 7 ft—combined wave energy is moderate (around 377 to 449)—but the surf quality is poor. Lots of chop, no shape. Not worth paddling out.

Thursday the 20th sees a drop in swell size, down to 4 ft to 5 ft with energy easing to 215–273. It’s still only marginal, with a cross breeze messing things up. You might catch a crumbly one if you’re desperate, but it’s not looking inviting.

Now, here’s the one standout in this whole outlook. Friday morning the 21st of August. We’ve got a 4 ft swell rolling in from the east, 8-second period, and glassy conditions—no wind. That means clean, smooth faces. Combined wave energy sits at 286, which is moderate, and with it being glassy, this is the pick of the bunch. The swell direction is easterly, which is pretty much on the money for the optimum at Alexandra Headland. It’s a consistent break, but with crowds marked as “often,” expect company. This is your best chance for a proper session.

After that, we go into a rough patch. Saturday the 22nd morning is glassy but only 3 ft, energy down to 115—very small and ordinary. Sunday the 23rd morning is clean with a light cross-off breeze, but again only 4 ft. Good for a longboard, but not much push.

The rest of the outlook through late August and into the start of September is a write-off. Winds stay shifty, mostly cross-on or cross-shore, with swell heights bouncing between 2 ft and 6 ft but never with clean conditions. The combined energy gets up to 538 on Saturday the 29th—that’s moderate—but it’s coming from the northeast with a short 7-second period and a messy chop. That setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

There’s a long stretch from the 22nd afternoon through to the 1st of September with no decent recommendations. So yeah, it’s pretty quiet out there. For the best chance, pin your hopes on Friday morning the 21st of August—glassy, clean, and just enough east swell to get a few fun ones at Alexandra Headland. Don’t expect much else.

Rusty.

Read more