Campbells Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s on offer for our local stretch. We’re looking at a bit of a mixed bag over the next couple of weeks, with a real gem waiting for us if we’re patient.

The first real action kicks off on Thursday morning, the 20th of August. We’ve got a lovely little pulse of swell rolling in at Campbells. It’s a reef break, so it needs a bit of respect, but this one is looking sweet. The swell is coming from the SW at a clean 2ft, with a very long period of 18 seconds – that’s proper groundswell, meaning good shape and energy. The water is sitting at 81°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there. The real kicker is the wind: glassy, flat calm. That’s about as good as it gets. The combined energy is moderate at 379, so it’ll have some push. It’s a small, inconsistent break, so you’ll have to be patient, but when a set comes through, it’ll be a thing of beauty. Keep an eye out, as it can get crowded here.

Thursday afternoon stays glassy with a WNW breeze, still 2ft and 17-second period. That’s a solid afternoon session.

Friday the 21st starts with a light cross-on breeze from the SSE, which messes with the surface a bit, but the swell bumps up slightly to 3ft at 17 seconds. The afternoon, however, gets glassy again with a light WNW wind, and the swell holds at 3ft with a 16-second period. That’s your call for Friday afternoon – clean and fun.

Now, we hit a bit of a dry spell. From Saturday the 22nd right through to the end of the month, the wind gets nasty. Strong ENE winds, 19-25 mph, which will be howling. The swell stays small, around 2ft to 3ft, but the breeze is just too strong for a clean surf. The combined energy drops off a cliff, and the conditions are just poor. It’s a long, frustrating gap of about a week and a half where you’re better off staying home.

But then, things start looking up. The first couple of days of September show some promise. On the 2nd, we have offshore winds from the NE at 12-16 mph, which will clean things up nicely. The swell is 3ft from the SSW at 16 seconds, with moderate energy (403). It’s a solid, clean option.

The real standout, though, the one you’ve been waiting for, is on Thursday the 3rd in the afternoon. The wind swings to a gentle offshore from the NNE at 9 mph, and the combined energy jumps to 532, with a swell of 3ft that’s shifted to the west. The period is a very long 18 seconds. That’s a gorgeous recipe for a reef break like Campbells.

And then, Friday the 4th of September. That’s your best bet of the entire forecast. In the morning, we’ve got a 3ft swell from the west, with a still-impressive 15-second period, and the wind is glassy – zero mph from the SE. The combined energy is a solid 590. This is the one. The afternoon holds up, too, with a light cross-off breeze and the same size. This is a proper, clean, lined-up session. The long period means the sets will be a bit spread out, but the quality will be there.

So, to sum it up: the first few days are great, then we endure a long, windy lull, and then the first week of September brings the real gold. The 4th of September is the pick of the bunch, but don’t sleep on the 3rd of September afternoon.

Rusty.

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