Bud Bud Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s get straight into this one for Bud Bud. Looking at the whole 16-day run, it’s a pretty grim picture. There’s nothing that comes close to a decent surf for the entire stretch. The first few days are a total write-off, with barely a ripple and persistent onshore or cross-off winds ruining any chance of something rideable. You’ll be waiting over a week just to see any change, and even then, it’s nothing to get excited about.

Starting Thursday the 23rd, it’s tiny – swell 0.7ft from the west with a 9-second period. The morning has a clean look with an offshore breeze, but the combined wave energy is barely a whisper at 8, and it’s labelled as poor surf. Thursday afternoon switches to a cross-off, still 0.7ft, and just as hopeless. Friday the 24th is even smaller, 0.3ft, with clean conditions but zero energy. Saturday the 25th brings the only tiny bump – 3ft from the west-northwest by afternoon, but it’s short-period slop at 4 seconds, a cross-onshore wind kicks up chop, and the energy is only 39. Still, it’s poor. Sunday and Monday offer nothing worth paddling for, with onshores and messy conditions.

The water temperature is sitting at 69°, which is about average for the time of year, but with no surf to enjoy it, that doesn’t help.

The only period that even registers as surfable is Monday the 27th morning. Swell is 2ft from the west, 9-second period, with a light cross-off breeze making it clean. Combined energy is 82 – still weak. The report calls it “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions.” That’s the best we get, and it’s barely a 1 out of 10.

After that, it’s back to the doldrums. From Tuesday the 28th all the way through to Friday the 7th of August, the swell never gets above 3ft, and even then it’s blown out by onshore or cross-onshore winds. The only exception is Tuesday the 4th of August morning with a clean 1ft from the west-northwest and almost no wind, but the energy is a paltry 39. Not worth the wax.

There is a slight lift on Sunday the 2nd of August, with 3ft swell from the west, 8-second period, and combined energy hitting 105 (moderate), but it’s cross-onshore with a gentle breeze making it choppy. Still poor surf.

So, if you’re a beginner, the tiny stuff might be okay on a longboard during the cleanest moments, but realistically, there’s nothing worth chasing. The wind is all over the shop, and the swell direction from the west is poorly aligned with the optimum south-southwest direction for Bud Bud. This is a rare spot that rarely breaks well, and this forecast proves it. Kite surfers might find something in the stronger winds later on, but for a paddle surfer, it’s a long, flat wait. Keep an eye on the charts – it tends not to stay this poor forever. I’m Rusty.

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