Anse Bougainville Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, and I’ve got to be straight with you – the next two weeks are looking pretty grim for a paddle. The whole 16-day window is a write-off for decent surf. I’ve looked at every single session, and not one of them gets a recommendation. The water is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, sitting at 81°, but that’s the only bright spot.

We’ve got a solid run of onshore wind from the SE and SSE, blowing 16 to 22 mph, day after day. That’s trashing everything. The swell is there, but it’s all wind-affected and messy. From Friday the 21st right through to the end of the month, every session is marked as “poor surf conditions.” The swell hangs around 5 ft to 7 ft, mostly from the SE with a short period of 8 or 9 seconds – that’s weak, choppy, and not worth getting wet for. The combined energy sits in the moderate range (between 378 and 812), but it’s all blown out.

There’s a bit of a shift around the 28th and 29th of August, when we see some longer-period groundswell from the S and SSW, with periods up to 19 seconds. The combined energy jumps up into the strong to very strong range (2486 to 3600), but that’s the only interesting thing about it – the wind is still onshore or cross-onshore at 19 to 22 mph, so it’s still messy. The swell gets bigger too, hitting 8 ft to 10 ft by the end of August and into September, but with SE winds still howling, it’s only going to be a lumpy, blown-out mess. At that size, with strong onshore wind and a beach-and-reef setup like Anse Bougainville, this honestly looks more appealing for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer.

For a spot that’s usually consistent, with its optimum swell from the SE, this is a long, frustrating stretch. The forecast can always change, but right now, there’s nothing to get excited about until at least the second week of September. Keep your gear waxed and wait for the wind to swing around.

Rusty.

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