Bay Street Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty. Let’s have a look at what’s happening around Bay Street over the next couple of weeks. Straight up, it’s a quiet run for the most part – the swell is small, the wind is messy, and the scores are low. But there are a couple of moments that might get the heart beating just a little.

Right from the start, Saturday 1st August through to the 7th, it’s mostly tiny surf with poor quality. Swell heights hover around 1.0ft to 2ft, mostly from the SSW or SW with periods that vary – some swells have a decent 13-14 seconds, which is okay, but the combined wave energy is weak, often under 150 (values like 108 or 141). The wind is onshore or cross-onshore from the SW or S at 6–9 mph, so it’s choppy and junky. The water is a toasty 73°, which is much warmer than normal – a solid 8° above average for this time of year, so you might want a thin wettie or just boardshorts.

Now, there is a glimmer. On Friday 7th August morning, things get a little more interesting. We see a 1ft swell from the SSW with a period of 19 seconds – that’s a nice long groundswell – and the combined energy jumps to 233 (moderate). The wind is a light cross-onshore from the S at 6 mph, which isn’t perfect but it’s not disastrous. The catch is the surf is still marginal, and with such a long period, Bay Street might break a bit straight. Still, it’s the first hint of real energy.

The 8th and 9th are similar – small SSW swell around 2ft, periods around 15-17 seconds, combined energy between 135 and 211. The wind stays light cross-onshore or onshore, and the surf quality remains poor.

Then things pick up a notch in the second week. Thursday 14th August morning sees a 1ft SW swell with an 18-second period, energy hitting 252 (moderate). Again, only marginal surf due to tide issues, but the groundswell is there. By Saturday 15th August, the swell nudges up to 2ft on a 16-second period from the SSW, and energy is 296 – that’s moderate and building. Sunday 16th August morning has 2ft from the SW with a 15-second period and energy at 232. The wind stays light cross-onshore or onshore, so it’s still not clean.

Honestly, the standout window across the whole 16 days is the period from Friday 7th August through to Sunday 16th August, where the swell energy is consistently in the 200–300 range and periods are long. But the wind never truly turns offshore, and every session gets tagged as poor or marginal. The best bet is probably Friday 14th August morning, when energy hits 322 – the highest of the run – with a 2ft groundswell from the SSW at 18 seconds. If you can work around the cross-onshore breeze and a questionable tide, there might be a few long, clean lines at Bay Street for the experienced lads. Beginners should steer clear – it’s not big, but the long period can be tricky.

For the days with no real recommendation – most of the first week – it’s a gap of quiet, weak surf. Not much to write home about, but it never stays flat for long around here. Forecasts can change, so keep an eye on it.

Rusty.

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