Blacks Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the menu for the next couple of weeks.

Overall, we're looking at a pretty drawn-out period of small, weak surf. There's no real punch to anything in the short term, and it's going to take a while for things to get interesting. The first few days are a write-off.

The first real chance of something rideable pops up on Thursday the 20th of August, but even then, it's marginal. We're talking about 3 ft of SSW swell, period around 14 seconds, with a light cross-onshore breeze. It's not going to be clean, and the energy is weak (270). Honestly, it's a day for the longboard or a beach day, not a surf mission.

We've got a long gap here with nothing really worth getting out of bed for. The wind stays light, mostly offshore, but the swell just doesn't have the guts. The water temp is 71°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so at least you won't freeze while you're sitting out there staring at flat lines.

Now, let's fast-forward to the end of the month. Things start to look a bit more promising. The 29th of August (Saturday) sees a bump in energy. On the Saturday morning, we've got 4 ft of SSW swell, period 17 seconds, with a light cross-onshore. The combined energy jumps up to 799 – that's moderate energy, but still in the marginal category. The afternoon cleans up with offshore wind, and we get 4 ft of SSW at 16 seconds, with 807 energy. That's the best of the bunch, but it's still on the smaller side.

The Standout: The real highlight, if you can wait, lands on the morning of Sunday the 30th of August. The swell is still around 4 ft from the SSW, period 15 seconds, with moderate energy (650). But here's the thing – the wind is a gentle cross-onshore, which will keep it a bit lumpy. The following Monday morning, the 31st of August, has 3 ft of SSW swell with offshore wind, giving you the cleanest conditions of the whole run, but less size. For the biggest, cleanest windows, keep an eye on the Saturday afternoon the 29th and the Sunday the 30th. The 29th afternoon with the offshore breeze and 4 ft swell is the best bet, but at that size, it's fine for most surfers, not just experts. Just know that Blacks Beach can get crowded often, so get out there early.

If the wind picks up more than forecast on those bigger days, this setup might look more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

So, hang in there. The first week is a bust, but there's a little pulse coming for the final weekend of August. It’s not going to be epic, but it's surfable.

- Rusty

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