Ansteys Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, checkin’ in with a long-range look at the surf. We’re in for a pretty rough stretch, honestly. The first recommendation is for Wednesday morning, 26 August. There’s a few days blank before that, so nothing really on the cards until then.

Alright, let’s start with Ansteys.

Ansteys is an intermediate-level, exposed east-facing break, and it’s an inconsistent one, so we need the stars to align. It’s usually about this time of year with the water temp sitting at 71°F, which is bang on average for now, no surprises there.

Tuesday, 25 August, is pretty much a write-off. We’ve got a tiny 2ft southerly swell with a short 8-second period and a fairly weak combined energy of 74. On top of that, a moderate cross-onshore breeze from the south at 12 mph has it all choppy and messy. A score of 0 out of my book. Not worth a paddle.

Things look a little better for Wednesday morning, 26 August. The southerly swell has bumped up to 4ft, still with that long 18-second period, and the combined energy is now a serious 1069. That’s proper groundswell energy. The wind is a bit lighter, a gentle cross-onshore from the south at 9 mph, leaving it fairly choppy but at least workable. It’s only a 2 out of my system, but it’s the best we’ve seen so far. Wednesday afternoon holds 6ft of the same southerly swell, energy even higher at 1987, and winds slacken further to a light cross-onshore from the SSE at just 6 mph. That light breeze will lay the surface down a touch, giving some cleaner lines, but it’s still a bit marginal. I’d call it a 3. It’s about the only window in this first week that’s worth a look, though.

Thursday, 27 August, gets ugly. A strong northeasterly kicks in at 25 to 31 mph, cross-shore, and blows the whole thing out. Friday through Sunday is the same story – fresh to strong NE winds, 22 to 25 mph, smashing up a 7ft to 10ft swell. That’s too big for beginners and not clean for anyone. It’s more kite-surfing weather than paddle-surfing.

Monday, 31 August, sees a drop back to a 4ft easterly swell with a 9-second period, energy at 322, but the wind is still onshore and lumpy. Not much to get excited about.

The second week, starting Tuesday 01 September, is a real mixed bag. There’s a small 3ft easterly swell, with light cross-onshore winds, giving a little chance of a small wave session, but it’s marginal at best, scoring a 1.

Now, we get a standout alert for Friday morning and afternoon, 04 September. The swell is pumping: 10ft to 13ft from the south-southeast, with a decent 10-second period, and massive combined energy readings hitting 1460 and then a whopping 3134. The wind is light and cross-shore, from the ENE at 3 to 12 mph, so it’ll be clean, with just a little cross-chop. But here’s the catch – it’s too big. This is an exposed east-facing spot, and 10ft to 13ft of south swell is gonna be a washing machine, especially for an inconsistent break. For experienced surfers only. I’m giving it an 11 for potential, but only for the brave. Saturday 05 September is similar, with 10ft to 12ft of the same, and Sunday 06 September still holding 10ft in the morning. The energy is huge, 2012 to 2611, but it’s still too much for most of us.

After that, it drops off again. Monday 07 September has 6ft but with a fresh 22 mph NE wind, so it’s messy. The rest of the run from there is a mix of small swells and bad wind, nothing that stands out.

So, to be honest, if you can handle some size and you’re an experienced hand, Friday 04 September and Saturday 05 September have the most solid swell and the lightest winds, but it’s a gnarly prospect. For everyone else, Wednesday 26 August afternoon is your best bet with a cleaner 6ft and light winds. That’s it, pretty thin pickings this time around.

Stay safe out there, Rusty.

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