Cape Paterson Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, mate, Rusty here. Let's talk about what's coming down the pipe for the next couple of weeks.

Look, the start of this run is pretty gnarly, not gonna lie. We've got a big pulse of energy hitting the coast, but the wind is just wrecking it. It's not surfable for a paddle board, not really. If you're into kites, it's a different story for a couple of days.

The real hope is the week ahead. The surf cleans up nicely, but the size drops right off. It's not going to be pumping, but there will be waves to be had. The standout window, and the one to circle on your calendar, is Monday the 13th and the start of that week. We've got a solid SW groundswell coming in, and the conditions look the goods.

Here's the day-by-day for Cape Paterson:

Friday 3rd (Today) & Saturday 4th: Forget it. Big, powerful swell – around 16 to 20 ft – but it's blown to pieces. The combined energy is massive, but with a near-gale cross-on, it's just a washing machine. Not for surfboards. You'd have more fun on a kite.

Sunday 5th: It's starting to clean up, but it's still a bit marginal. Swell is still solid at 7 to 8 ft from the SW, period cranking around 17 seconds. The ESE wind is cross-off, so it'll be clean looking, but the power might make it tricky. Maybe one for the more experienced crew to have a look.

Monday 6th & Tuesday 7th: The size plummets to that knee to waist-high zone (4 to 4 ft). The good news is Monday morning looks glassy with a light offshore, clean lines. Tuesday morning is clean too, but wind swings around. Small and clean, but a real cruisy logger session at best.

Wednesday 8th: A little bump in size to around 7 ft on Wednesday afternoon, but with a cross-on wind, it's not going to be the one.

Thursday 9th: Now we're talking. Morning session is the pick of this quiet period. Clear skies, light offshore wind from the east, 5 ft of SW groundswell, period at 15 seconds. It's clean, there's some push, and it'll be fun for a good intermediate surfer. The sizes are down, but the quality is up.

Friday 10th - Sunday 12th: A bit of a flat spot again. Waist-high waves (4 to 4 ft), mostly clean with glassy conditions on Friday afternoon. It’s small, but if you're desperate, you'll find a ripple.

Monday 13th - THE STANDOUT: Here it is. This is the best we've got. Light rain, but a moderate NE offshore wind, 6 ft of SW groundswell with a period of 16 seconds. This will create proper, lined-up waves. It's not a monster, but the quality is high. Both morning and afternoon look very good, with the afternoon being clean as a whistle with a gentle offshore. This is the one to get excited about.

Tuesday 14th: Looks like the window slams shut. The wind swings back onshore and a huge, dumpy 13-15 ft swell hits with a short 9-10 second period. It's a washing machine again for experts only, and even then, it's not clean.

Wednesday 15th & Thursday 16th: Still messy with strong cross-shore winds. A bump of 13 ft on Thursday from the SSW but it's lumpy and cross. Not worth it.

Friday 17th & Saturday 18th: The last few days are small again, but look nice. Friday is a no-go with cross-shore chop, but Saturday morning the 18th is pure magic. Glassy, around 2 ft of long-period SW groundswell. It'll be tiny, but if you've got a log, it will be as clean as a whistle. A perfect way to end the outlook.

Water temp is sitting at about 58°, which is a bit warmer than normal for this time of year, so you won't need a full 5/4, but don't be fooled, it's still winter.

Rusty.

Read more