Cap Sim Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what Cap Sim's got lined up for us over the next couple of weeks. It's a bit of a mixed bag, to be honest, with a quiet start before some serious energy shows up. The water's sitting at a pretty standard 70°, so nothing out of the ordinary for this time of year.

The first few days are pretty much a write-off. Friday the 21st and Saturday the 22nd are a no-go with messy, onshore winds and weak, short-period swell. You're looking at a combined energy of just 117 on Friday morning and only hitting 282 on Saturday afternoon – not worth paddling out for. Sunday the 23rd is where things start to get interesting. The morning sees a jump to a 3ft swell from the NW, but the real story is the period – a solid 16 seconds of groundswell pushing through. The combined energy is a solid 554, and with a light 9 mph cross-off breeze, it's clean. By the afternoon, it pushes up to 5ft from the NW at 13 seconds, with energy hitting 951. This is the standout window: very good surf conditions and gentle breezes make for quality waves at this exposed reef. Just keep in mind it's an advanced spot, and with a long-period swell like that, the sets will be fat and lined up perfectly for the reef.

Monday the 24th still has size at 5ft from the NW, but the quality drops off. The morning's marginal, and the afternoon gets a bit windier. From Tuesday the 25th through to the end of August, it's a frustrating run. The swell hangs around in the 3ft to 8ft range, but the winds are relentless and gusty from the N or NNE, keeping conditions poor. The energy spikes on the 28th (Friday) morning, with a strong 8ft N swell and an offshore wind to clean it up, but at 670 combined energy, it's big, strong, and messy – only for the most experienced crew. The rest of the time, it's just a battle with a strong cross-off breeze.

Heading into September, the first week is dominated by that strong N wind. Morning offshore winds on the 2nd and 3rd might clean the face, but the swell is a messy 6-7ft with a short period of 6-7 seconds. The combined energy is around 300-400, but the waves will be lumpy and hard to manage. The real bright spot on the horizon is Friday the 4th of September. The morning shows a smaller 3ft swell from the NNW, but look at that period: 12 seconds of groundswell. The combined energy is a respectable 512, and with a fresh 19 mph offshore from the NE, it could be a glassy, clean morning session. It's a glimpse of what could be, but it's a long way off, so keep an eye on it. Saturday the 5th is back to big, onshore mess.

If you're a kite surfer, the whole middle section with that consistent N wind and 5-8ft lumpy swell might look pretty tasty for boosting. For a paddle surfer, the absolute best bet is Sunday the 23rd of August. Get out there for that sweet NW groundswell with gentle breezes. The following Friday morning, the 4th of September, is worth a tentative mark on the calendar for that offshore clean-up on a long-period swell. Everything else is a waiting game.

Rusty.

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