Backdoor 4 Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, it’s Rusty here, and I’ve been poring over the charts for our stretch of the coast. We’ve got a bit of a mixed plate coming our way over the next two weeks. The opening days look like a treat, but we hit a flat and messy patch in the middle, and then a big pulse of energy rolls through in the final week that’s going to sort the men from the boys. Water temps are at 63°, which is a touch cooler than we’d expect for this time of August, so you’ll want that extra layer of neoprene.

We kick off on Saturday the 15th at Backdoor 4. It’s a reef break, very consistent, and it’s exposed to the south. Saturday morning has a clean 4ft of south swell with a 9-second period, light offshore winds, and the wave energy is moderate (281). It’s a solid opener. Saturday afternoon picks up slightly to 5ft, still offshore but a touch more wind, and the energy bumps up a bit (341). This is a good, clean window to get wet.

Sunday the 16th is a step down. A 17-second period swell gives us a long-period groundswell, which can feel a bit lined-up, but the height drops to 2ft in the morning and it’s crossed-up with a cross-offshore breeze. The afternoon sees the swell jump to 5ft but the period crashes to 7 seconds, making it short, weak, and a bit jumbled. I’d give this one a miss.

Monday the 17th is back to a smaller, cleaner feel with 3ft of south swell in the morning, period around 10 seconds, and a gentle cross-offshore wind. The energy is on the weak side (224). It’s surfable, but nothing to write home about. The afternoon gets more ordinary, so grab your morning session.

Tuesday the 18th is all cross-offshore with a 7-second period and around 3ft of ESE swell. The morning is clean enough, but the energy is low (184). Afternoon conditions stay similar. It’s small and a bit weak.

Then we hit the jewel of the first week. Wednesday morning the 19th, the wind drops to glassy, 4ft of SE swell, period around 7 seconds, and the energy is moderate (227). The report says to expect good surf conditions. This is the one to point the car at before work. The afternoon dies out with a cross-onshore breeze and poor conditions.

We then enter a poor spell. From Thursday the 20th through to Saturday the 22nd, the swell drops off hard. We’re looking at small, weak, and mostly poor conditions. The winds swing around and get fresh. Saturday the 22nd does finish with a glimmer – a 5ft swell shows up late in the day with a fresh offshore wind, but the period is a short 6 seconds, so it’s going to be bumpy and weak. More frustrating than fun.

Sunday the 23rd, we get another taste. The morning is glassy again with 4ft of south swell and an 8-second period. Energy is moderate (266). It’s clean, and it’s rideable. This is the last good one for a few days.

Monday the 24th and Tuesday the 25th are a tale of two worlds. Monday is poor, with a tiny 2ft of weak swell and cross-onshore winds. But Tuesday the 25th is where things start to get interesting. We get a 7ft SSE swell with a 7-second period, gentle offshore winds in the morning, and the energy jumps to a strong (448). The report flags it as favorable wind and tide, but states the swell is predicted to be too big for this break. That’s a warning for the intermediates – this one is getting into expert territory and could be a real handful.

The last days of the month are a full-on pulse. From Wednesday the 26th onwards, we see a steady rise in energy. Swell heights are around 7ft to 8ft, all from the east, but the winds are just terrible. We get fresh cross-onshore and onshore winds, and the combined energy values are through the roof – we’re talking 618, 659, and up to 1002 by Thursday afternoon. That is very strong energy, but the conditions are going to be a complete mess: lumpy, choppy, and blown out. With that much swell and onshore wind pounding a reef break, this is going to look a whole lot more interesting for the kite surfers than for the paddle crew. The swell peak looks like Thursday the 27th afternoon with 8ft, but it’s onshore and chaotic.

We finish out the period with similar conditions – big, messy swell, 7ft to 8ft, cross-onshore winds, and strong energy readings. Sunday the 30th finally sees the swell ease back to around 3ft with a glassy afternoon, but it’s ordinary at best.

So, if you’re picking your moments, you’re looking at Saturday morning the 15th and Wednesday morning the 19th as the clean, fun windows. Beyond that, Tuesday the 25th has the size but it’s for experts only. The second week is a raw, powerful mess. It’s one for the brave or the kiteboarders.

Rusty.

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