Cape Paterson Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Hey, Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s headin’ our way.

The next couple of weeks are a rollercoaster. There’s swell a-plenty, but the wind is gonna be the boss for the first week, and sometimes it’s a real jerk. We got a small window early, then a big, messy pulse, and finally a clean-up around the 15th and into the next week.

First chance to paddle out is Saturday afternoon, August 8 at Cape Paterson (Cape-Patterson). The water’s about 57°F, which is a touch warmer than usual for this time of year – a nice little bonus. You’ll get a solid 5ft of groundswell from the WSW, with a long 16-second period. That’s proper energy, with a combined energy of 1121. The wind is light from the north, so it’s a clean cross-off breeze. It’s a standout for the early days, but it’s a sheltered spot and can get crowded.

Sunday, August 9 is a good follow-up. We’re lookin’ at a 4ft WSW swell, droppin’ to 3ft in the arvo, with a moderate offshore from the ENE and NE. Clean, but the swell is easing. Still a decent morning sesh.

Then things blow up. Monday, August 10 through Thursday, August 13 sees a massive jump in size, but the wind turns nasty. You’re lookin’ at 6ft to 12ft of SW to WSW swell, with cross-shore and cross-onshore winds hittin’ 22 to 28 mph. The combined energy is huge – 2332, 5659, 8965 – but it’s just a mess. With a beach and reef setup, that much wind and swell is more for the kite surfers than paddle surfers. This is a straight-up miss.

Friday, August 14 stays big and cross-onshore, still messy.

But hold on. Saturday, August 15 is the real standout. The morning is still a bit iffy with 8ft of SW swell and a light cross-onshore, but the Saturday afternoon is the gold. The wind drops to 3 mph from the SSW, and it goes glassy. The swell is a solid 7ft from the SW with a 15-second period, and the combined energy is 2089. This is excellent for experienced surfers – clean, powerful lines. If you’re good enough, this is the best session of the whole run.

Sunday, August 16 and Monday, August 17 are still in the mix, with 6ft to 5ft of SW swell and clean cross-off winds from the east. Energy is moderate, but it’s surfable and clean.

Tuesday, August 18 is a bit of a letdown, with smaller 4ft swell and a light cross-off, but it’s clean. Wednesday, August 19 is another good one – 5ft of WSW groundswell (16-second period), clean cross-off from the NNW, and a combined energy of 1257. That’s a solid, fun day.

The rest of the run into the 23rd has some small, clean windows and a few bigger pulses, but nothin’ that screams “drop everything.” The Sunday afternoon, August 23 has a 7ft WSW swell with a very long 19-second period, and nearly glassy conditions, but it’s a bit of a cross-shore. That long period groundswell will be best on the points and reefs, not the beach.

So, the two true standouts: Saturday afternoon, August 15 for the glassy, powerful 7ft SW swell, and Wednesday, August 19 for the clean, consistent 5ft groundswell. The rest? You’ll get waves, but you’ll be workin’ for ’em.

Rusty.

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