Bribie Island Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a yarn about what’s coming up at Bribie Island.

First up, I’ll be straight with you – the next two weeks are a real mixed bag, and for the most part, it’s looking pretty slim. We’ve got a long dry spell ahead before anything worth paddling out for shows up. The first few days are tiny and messy, and honestly, you’d be better off doing something else.

Starting from Saturday the 8th of August, it’s all small, weak E/ENE swell around 3ft with a short period of 8 seconds. The energy is weak (93 to 115). Saturday morning is cross-on and choppy, not worth a look. Saturday afternoon cleans up a bit but it’s still poor. Sunday the 9th shows a flicker of hope with the swell bumping to 3ft from the east, period stretching to 9 seconds, and Sunday morning goes glassy – that’s the cleanest we’ll see for a while. The energy is moderate (160). But it’s still only knee-high, and Bribie’s a beginner spot, so you might get a few fun little crumbly waves if you’re patient. The water temperature is about average for this time of year.

From Monday the 10th right through to Monday the 17th of August, it’s a real struggle. Swell stays tiny, under 3ft, and the wind is all over the shop – cross, onshore, or too strong. The energy drops into the double digits often. There’s a few brief windows of clean conditions, but the waves are just too small and weak to bother. A few of those afternoons have offshore wind, which is nice, but you’re looking at ankle-biters. It’s a long, quiet stretch.

Then things start to get a bit more interesting from Tuesday the 18th of August. The swell picks up a notch, with ESE swell around 6ft to 6ft, period hanging around 8 seconds. The energy climbs into the moderate range (364 to 400). But the wind is mostly cross or cross-off, and the conditions are still lumpy or messy. By Wednesday the 19th of August, the energy kicks up to 612, but the wind is fresh and the surf is still getting knocked around. There’s a hint of clean surf on the 19th morning, but it’s marginal.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. The standout window is Saturday the 22nd of August. The morning shows a solid 8ft E swell, period 10 seconds, with light cross-shore wind and very high energy (1017). The forecast says the swell is too big for this break – that’s a lot of water moving. This is for experienced surfers only, and even then, Bribie is a beach break, so that long period groundswell (10 seconds is decent) might make it a bit walled up and straight. The afternoon is still big (7ft) but with a fresh cross-off breeze, so it’ll be clean but powerful. The crowds are possible here, so keep an eye out.

Then Sunday the 23rd of August morning looks like a real treat. The swell drops to a more manageable 5ft from the east, still with a 10-second period, but the wind goes glassy. That’s the best of the whole run. Clean, glassy conditions, moderate energy (441), and a solid chest-to-head-high swell. This is the morning to be in the water.

So, to wrap it up: the first week and a half is mostly a write-off with tiny, weak surf. The best surf on offer is the glassy Sunday morning on the 23rd of August, where the conditions and swell line up nicely. The Saturday the 22nd is for the big-wave crew only, and it’s a bit of a beast for this spot.

Keep an eye on the forecasts, but for now, that’s the story.

Rusty.

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