Back Strands Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, it’s Rusty. Look, I’ve had a good look at what’s coming up for Back Strands over the next couple of weeks, and I’ve gotta be straight with you – it’s a pretty bleak run for most of it. There are some windows where things clean up, but the swell is small and the majority of the time the wind is just all over the shop. It’s one of those periods where you’ll be watching the forecast more than surfing.

Let’s kick off with Saturday the 22nd of August. Right from the start, the wind is cross-on from the north at 9 mph and the swell is a tiny 1 ft from the north-west with a short period of 5 seconds. Wave energy is weak at 15, so it’s small and chopped up. Not worth paddling out. Sunday the 23rd is glassy in the morning, wind from the south-west at 3 mph, but the swell drops to just 0.7 ft and 9 seconds, with energy down at 10. It’s clean but too small to even get a ride. Monday the 24th is where things finally get a pulse. The morning sees an offshore breeze from the east-southeast at 9 mph, with a 3 ft swell from the west-northwest at a moderate 11 seconds. Energy jumps to 254 – moderate – and the waves are surfable, if ordinary. The afternoon glassies off with the wind dropping to a 3 mph south-easterly, still 3 ft from the west at 10 seconds, energy at 208. It’s the best of a flat week, but don’t expect anything memorable.

Tuesday the 25th through Thursday the 27th are largely blown out or too small. Winds stay moderate to breezy from the east, and the swell sits under 3 ft with weak to low energy. By Friday the 28th, the swell pushes up to 4 ft from the north-west, but the wind is onshore from the north-west at 16 mph, making a messy 131 energy. Saturday the 29th through to Tuesday the 1st of September is a mix of small swell and strong wind. The best of that is Sunday the 30th morning with a cross-off wind from the south-southwest at 9 mph and a 3 ft west swell, but the period is short at 6 seconds and energy is only 99. It’s clean but weak.

The real standout – or as close as we get – is on Saturday the 5th of September. That morning there’s an offshore breeze from the south-southeast at 16 mph, with a 6 ft swell from the west-northwest at a solid 10 seconds. Energy is strong at 784, and the wave comment calls it marginal but surfable. This is the best wave of the entire run. For experts wanting a late-season push, this is your window. The afternoon holds a solid 6 ft from the west at 10 seconds with 584 energy and a cross-off breeze. Keep in mind though, the morning swell is over 5 ft but under 8 ft, so it’s a little heavy for beginners.

The period for Back Strands is mostly a drought with decent clean spells only on a few mornings and afternoons. The water temperature sits at 62°F, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year – the anomaly is 3°F, so you’ll notice it’s a bit more pleasant on the skin. Crowds are listed as “sometimes”, so you might find a few others out if you time the windows right.

This is a reef break that’s fairly consistent and fairly exposed to the west swell, with an optimum direction from the west itself. The morning of the 5th of September lines up perfectly: west-northwest swell with offshore south-southeast wind. That’s as good as it gets.

Alright, that’s the story. Keep an eye on the wind for that Saturday. Rusty.

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