Cape Paterson Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ll level with you – the next couple of weeks at Cape Paterson are looking pretty ordinary for a paddle. This is a sheltered, advanced beach and reef set-up that usually needs a clean window, and we just aren’t getting one for most of the run. The water is sitting at 56°, which is only about a degree and a half warmer than average for this time of year – nothing weird there.

We do have a short window of clean surf to kick things off. Tuesday the 18th morning, a 4ft WSW groundswell (14-second period) with a light NE offshore breeze will have the combined swell energy in the moderate range (789). It’s clean and there’s some push, but don’t expect a classic. The wind swings cross-off in the arvo, still clean enough with 4ft SW swell. That Tuesday morning is your best bet early on – it’s the only real stand-out in the first week.

Wednesday the 19th goes downhill fast. A fresh N to NNW breeze kills the quality, and the swell drops to under 3ft. Then Thursday the 20th we get a short-period 5ft W swell (8 seconds) with cross-shore wind and a lumpy chop – not worth suiting up for. Friday the 21st and Saturday the 22nd see the swell jump up to 6ft to 8ft from the WSW, but it’s all cross-onshore or onshore wind, and the combined energy rockets up into the strong range (over 3000 on Saturday). That’s expert territory for size, but the wind is just trashing it. Honestly, for paddle surfing, it’s a write-off. If you’re into kite surfing, that Saturday might look interesting with that cross-shore wind and 8ft swell.

We get a short breather Sunday the 23rd with a 7ft WSW swell and lighter cross-shore wind in the morning, but it’s still lumpy and cross-onshore by the arvo. Then Monday the 24th sees clean cross-off wind return with 5ft SW groundswell, but the wind is a moderate 25 km/h, so it’s not perfect.

The second week is rough. Tuesday the 25th has strong onshore wind and big swell – forget it. Wednesday the 26th arvo is the only real bright spot in the whole run: a 4ft SW swell with glassy, light S wind. Combined energy is moderate (455), and the conditions are glassy clean. That’s a sneaky good session if you can get it. Thursday the 27th morning looks promising too – a 7ft WSW swell with a gentle NNE cross-off breeze and moderate energy (1025). That’s a solid, clean swell, but it’s big enough for advanced surfers only. The arvo turns even better: 7ft WSW with an offshore ENE breeze and strong energy (1466). That Thursday the 27th is the standout of the second week.

After that, Friday the 28th and Saturday the 29th are messy or blown out. Sunday the 30th through to Wednesday the 2nd of September is all poor quality with strong wind and onshore conditions, the swell stays small to moderate, and the energy drops right off. There’s nothing to recommend in those final days.

So, if you’re keen, aim for Tuesday morning the 18th or the glassy Wednesday arvo the 26th. For the biggest and cleanest swell, Thursday the 27th is your best shot, but only if you’re advanced. Otherwise, it’s a long wait for not much.

Rusty.

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