Back Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s happening at Back Beach.

The water’s sitting at 66°, which is right about normal for this time of year, so you’re not dealing with any weird temperature surprises.

The first real standout is Friday afternoon, August 14th. The swell drops a touch to 8ft from the WSW, with a nice long 16-second period. That’s proper groundswell. The wind is light and cross-offshore, so the waves will be clean and lined up. The combined energy is a solid 3598 (moderate), and it’s the first time the conditions are marked as excellent for experienced surfers. This is your window if you’ve got the skills – it’s still too big for beginners.

Then Saturday morning, August 15th is another cracker. Swell is 8ft from the WSW, 14-second period, and we’ve got a clean, moderate offshore wind from the NE. That’s a recipe for some hollow, punchy waves. The combined energy is 2118 (moderate). This is the pick of the weekend for the more seasoned crew.

Sunday afternoon, August 16th is also a solid option. The swell bumps back up to 8ft from the WSW, with a 15-second period, and the wind is light offshore from the NE. It’ll be clean and powerful, with a combined energy of 3124 (moderate). Excellent for experienced surfers.

Now, from Monday the 17th into the middle of the week, it gets messy. The wind turns onshore and howls, with big, lumpy, blown-out conditions. Swell gets huge – over 12ft – but it’s a total write-off for paddling. If you’re a kite surfer, the setup from Monday afternoon through Thursday might look interesting, with strong cross-onshore winds and big, raw swell, but for a surfboard, it’s a no-go.

The next real chance comes Tuesday morning, August 18th. The swell is a massive 13ft from the WSW, with a 16-second period, and the wind is glassy. That’s a rare combination. The combined energy is a whopping 7926 (strong). This is strictly for experts only – it’s way too big for anyone else. The waves will be heavy and powerful, and with that very long period, it’ll be better on a point or reef, though Back Beach is an exposed beach, so expect some big, shifting peaks.

After that, it’s a mixed bag of onshore winds and huge, messy swell until we get a bit of a cleanup on Tuesday morning, August 25th. Swell drops to 6ft from the SW, 14-second period, with a light cross-offshore breeze. The combined energy is 1832 (moderate), and it’s marginal but clean. Not a standout, but a window for a quieter session.

Tuesday afternoon, August 25th is actually the best of the final week. Swell is 6ft from the WSW, 13-second period, with a clean cross-offshore wind. The combined energy is 1998 (moderate), and conditions are marked as excellent for experienced surfers. For a smaller, more manageable day, this is the one.

So the true standout is that Friday afternoon, August 14th and Saturday morning, August 15th for the experienced crew. The glassy, huge swell on Tuesday morning, August 18th is a real spectacle, but only for the brave. The second week is a bit of a letdown, with only the 25th offering a decent, smaller window.

Rusty.

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