Anne Street Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright crew, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you: the next couple of weeks are looking pretty grim for a proper paddle. The swell shows up, but the wind and quality just aren't playing ball. We’ve got a long stretch of cross-shore and cross-on conditions messing up what would otherwise be rideable waves. Don't get too excited about the size either – it’s there, but it's not going to be any fun.

We're looking at a real dry spell for a while. The surf window pretty much opens and slams shut on you. There's nothing worth getting out of bed for on the 14th or 15th – just small, weak swell with a cross-chop, definitely not worth the effort. The 16th and 17th see the swell push up to 6ft and 7ft, but the wind is just a mess. It's cross-shore and then cross-on, with the energy climbing from 330 to over 500, which sounds beefy, but the surface will be lumpy and hard to ride. This is not the time to be a hero.

The period from the 18th through the 20th stays poor, with the swell hanging around 7ft but the wind staying onshore. The 20th is the only day that gets a score above zero, and that's just a "maybe" with 4ft and light winds, but the swell direction is all wrong for this spot. It’s a struggle.

Now, after all that mess, we finally get a proper window. On the 21st, early, it goes glassy. The swell is small, only 3ft, but it's clean. The problem is, it's only 3ft and the period is a meh 7 seconds. That's a weak, short-period windswell. You can get a few, but it's not going to be a standout. The 22nd morning is similar, with 3ft and a light cross-off, clean again, but still tiny. These are the best of a bad bunch, but they're not special.

What is the standout? Honestly, if I'm picking one, it's the morning of the 21st of August at Anne Street Reef. The glassy conditions will make the most of that small 3ft ENE swell. It's a reef, so that short period won't be as much of an issue as it would be at a beach break. It’s the cleanest the place will be all stretch. But keep your expectations low. The crowds are possible, but with waves this small, it might be quiet. Just don't expect any power.

The other morning, the 22nd, is a runner-up with a cleaner 3ft and a light cross-off, but it's just as small. Beyond that, the wave heights start to fade out into the 1ft to 2ft junk, and the wind gets up again to finish the run. The energy drops off to nearly nothing. There's a tiny pulse of long period swell on the 28th, but it's only 1ft. It's not going to break.

So, to sum it up: there’s a few days of clean, but tiny, surf around the 21st and 22nd. Otherwise, it's a whole lot of slop with onshore wind. The swell energy does get strong, but it’s just not directed right and the wind ruins it. If you’re desperate, get out there on Friday the 21st at first light. Otherwise, save your energy. It’s a lean run.

Rusty out.

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