Bay Street Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ve got to be straight with you—this stretch ain’t exactly firing. Bay Street is the only spot on the cards, and it’s a bit of a flat spell for the next few weeks, with a real gap in decent surf. The first few days, from Wednesday the 19th of August through to the end of the month, are mostly a write-off, with only a couple of mornings that are even worth a second look.

Let’s start with the overall pattern: we’ve got a long run of poor conditions, with onshore wind and small, weak swell. The water temp is about average for the time of year, so nothing wild there. The best chance of a wave comes late in the month, but it’s still marginal.

The first real flicker of hope is on the morning of Sunday the 23rd of August. We’ve got a 1ft swell from the SW, with a very long period of 19 seconds—that’s classic groundswell, but it’s tiny. The wind is light and onshore from the SW at 3 mph, so almost glassy. The combined energy is moderate (201). It’s a beginner-friendly break, fairly consistent, but remember it’s exposed to that WSW direction, and the swell is barely a ripple. Still, for a clean little knee-high wave, it might be the pick of the whole period. Crowds are possible here sometimes.

Then Monday the 24th of August morning offers a similar story: 1ft from the SW, 18-second period, light onshore breeze. The energy jumps to strong (306), but the size is still tiny. It’s a marginal call.

The next real standout—and honestly, the only one that might get your heart rate up—is the morning of Saturday the 29th of August. The swell bumps up to 3ft from the SSW, with a 17-second period. The wind is light onshore from the SW at 6 mph, so it’s not clean, but the energy is strong (393). This is the biggest, most energetic swell of the outlook, and it’s a groundswell. For a beginner spot, that’s a fun little wave. But the wind is onshore, so it won’t be glassy. If you’re after a paddle, this is your best bet.

After that, Sunday the 30th of August morning has a similar 3ft from the SSW, with a 15-second period and near-calm wind (SSW at 3 mph), giving a light offshore feel. Energy is still strong (328). That’s a nice little window, but still small.

Then we hit a drop-off. Monday the 31st of August morning sees a 4ft swell from the W, but with a short period of just 7 seconds—that’s windswell, all chop and no shape. The energy is moderate (268). It’s likely too messy for a proper surf.

From Tuesday the 1st of September onward, it’s back to tiny, weak swell and onshore wind. Real quiet.

So, the call: your best bet is the morning of Saturday the 29th of August, with that 3ft SSW groundswell and strong energy. After that, the 30th is also worth a look. For the rest, it’s a long wait. If you’re a beginner, these are all your size, but the wind is rarely your friend. If it stays this flat and windy, honestly, this setup looks more interesting for a kite than a paddle.

Stay patient, mate. The forecast can always change.

Rusty.

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