Back Strands Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a proper look at what’s coming up for the next couple of weeks at Back Strands. It’s going to be a bit of a slow burn, so don’t expect fireworks every day.

The pattern starts off pretty quiet. The first few days are a write-off, with tiny, weak swell and either glassy or light onshore conditions that just don’t add up to anything worth paddling out for. We’re looking at a dry spell from Saturday the 22nd right through until Sunday the 24th, where the swell bumps up a notch but still isn’t doing much. Monday the 24th sees the first faint glimmer of hope. We get a west-northwest groundswell pushing 3 ft with a 10-second period, and the energy jumps up to a moderate 254 (combined). The wind goes glassy in the afternoon, and the conditions are clean. It’s surfable, but it’s very ordinary – a couple of small waves if you’re desperate.

Tuesday the 25th through Thursday the 27th is a mixed bag. Tuesday has a moderate clean cross-offshore breeze, but the swell drops back to 3 ft and the energy is weak. Wednesday is even smaller. Thursday throws up a 5 ft swell from the west with a 7-second period, but the wind is onshore and messy, so the quality is poor. The good news is that we get a build towards the end of the week.

The standout window arrives on Saturday the 29th of August. This is the one to circle. Early morning we see a solid 6 ft swell from the west-northwest with an 8-second period. The combined energy is a strong 344 (moderate to strong), and the wind is a light cross-offshore from the south-southwest, keeping the surf clean. The conditions are described as “good surf conditions”. For Back Strands, that’s a proper window. The swell direction (WNW) is a decent match for the optimum west direction, and with the light offshore breeze, the reef setup should be producing some nice, lined-up waves. It’s not huge, but it’s the best on offer. Crowds are listed as “sometimes” here, so you might have company, but it won’t be a zoo. Further out, Sunday the 30th gets messy, and Monday the 31st looks strong and blown out with westerly gales.

Looking into the second week, there’s less to get excited about. The first week of September is mostly tiny or onshore slop. Thursday the 3rd of September shows a little pulse of 3 ft swell with moderate energy (123) and clean conditions, but nothing to inspire a dawn mission. It’s a long-range call, so don’t bank on it. Basically, we get one quality session on the 29th, and then a long, quiet gap.

So, the honest take: Saturday the 29th of August is your day. Get on it. The rest of the 16-day window is mostly a waiting game.

Rusty.

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