Back Strands Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s in store for us over the next couple of weeks.

To be straight with you, this is a grim run. The entire 16-day window is a total write-off for any kind of decent surf. There’s not a single window where the wave quality comes together, and the finder has no recommendations to offer. We’re looking at a long, blank stretch right through.

The one spot we’ve got data for is Back Strands, a reef setup that’s fairly consistent and fairly exposed. It likes swell from the west, which is the direction most of the energy comes from. But the problem is the swell is small, weak, and often messy. The water temperature sits at 61°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so the water’s a bit more comfortable, but that’s about the only comfort.

The first few days, from Saturday the 1st through to Wednesday the 5th, the swell is tiny—under 3 feet at best—with poor wave energy (70 down to 7). The wind is mostly cross-on or onshore, adding chop. The wave energy is weak (70) and the period is short, so the waves are just sloppy. There’s no surfable wave energy here.

From Thursday the 6th to the 10th, the swell tries to pick up, hitting 4 feet on the 8th and 9th, with moderate energy (around 228 to 249), but the wind is cross-on or onshore from the west or northwest, making it choppy and messy. The period is still short (8 seconds), so it’s not forming well.

By the 10th, we get a brief moment of glassy conditions, but the swell is tiny (2 feet) and weak (energy 59). The 11th and 12th have a few clean windows with offshore or glassy wind, but the swell is basically flat (0.7 feet to 1 foot). There’s just nothing to ride.

The second week, from the 13th to the 16th, the swell gets a bit more energy, with the 15th showing 4 feet and an energy of 268, but the wind is a fresh to strong cross-on or onshore, with rain showers. The period is 10 seconds, so it’s not a clean groundswell. It’s lumpy, choppy, and not worth paddling out for.

Overall, this is a classic blank run for the area. It’s not unusual to see a long stretch of nothing, and few breaks here are consistent enough to rely on when the conditions are this poor. The forecasts can change, but right now, there’s no reason to get excited. If you’re a kite surfer, the wind is strong enough on the 14th and 15th to make things interesting, but for paddle surfing, it’s a no-go.

Rusty.

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