Cape Paterson Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’m gonna level with you straight up – this 16-day stretch for Cape Paterson is a tough one. It’s a real battle to find a window that’s worth paddling out for. We’ve got a lot of days ahead where the onshore wind and choppy conditions will have you wondering why you bothered.

For the next week and a half, it’s pretty grim. From Friday the 28th of August right through to Tuesday the 8th of September, there’s nothing that even gets close to a green light. We’ve got a solid run of poor surf conditions, with a cross-onshore wind from the west and southwest, making every session messy and lumpy. The swell is there, don’t get me wrong – it hangs around the 4ft to 8ft mark with a moderate combined energy you can feel (around 994 to 2987), and the period is decent at 12-18 seconds, meaning there’s some groundswell in the mix. But that wind just ruins it. Wednesday the 2nd of September afternoon sees a peak of 8ft from the WSW with a 15-second period, but it’s onshore and blown out. Even when the swell cranks up to 13ft from the 4th to the 6th of September – with combined energy readings of 5235 to 6885 – the wind is a strong to near gale, so that’s kite-surfing territory, not paddle surfing. It’s just too dangerous and messy.

Then, there’s a glimmer. We need to fast forward to Friday the 11th of September. That’s the standout. The morning sees a big 13ft swell from the WSW, with that long 14-second period, pushing a massive 6014 combined energy. The wind swings to a light offshore from the NNE at just 6 mph, so the surface will be clean. The catch is, 13ft is big, even for this break. This is an advanced spot, and at that size, it’s for experts only. But the afternoon is where the magic is supposed to happen. The swell eases to 12ft, but it’s from the same 17-second groundswell, and here’s the kicker: the wind drops to glassy – a dead calm 3 mph from the southwest. Combined energy hits a massive 10392. That’s a powerful, long-period swell hitting a break that’s sheltered from the SW, so it should hold up. It’ll be clean, powerful, and for the experienced crew only. It’s a rare and special window.

Saturday the 12th of September morning still holds a solid 12ft swell with a 16-second period, and a light offshore breeze, keeping it clean, but the wind is a little more cross-off. Still, it’s a solid option if you missed Friday.

So, to sum it up: write off the first 13 days. It’s a long, frustrating gap until Friday the 11th of September, and that’s your best bet. Friday afternoon with that glassy condition is the true standout – for experts only. Saturday morning also looks solid.

Rusty.

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