Cape Schanck Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto. Rusty here with the outlook for Cape Schanck.

We’re looking at a bit of a mixed bag over the next couple of weeks. Not much happening right now. The surf kicks off proper on Friday the 28th, but conditions are messy with a cross-shore breeze and a marginal-looking 5ft SW swell. The water temp is sitting at 57°, which is about average for this time of year.

Friday 28th: Honestly, this one's a write-off. The swell is there, about 5ft from the SW, but that lumpy cross-shore wind is killing it. Afternoon gets a bit more size with 7ft from the SW and onshore wind. Not worth paddling out.

Saturday 29th & Sunday 30th: A couple of days to skip. The swell hangs in the 6-6ft range from the SW, but we're dealing with cross-onshore and onshore winds. Surf is poor.

Monday 31st: Now we're talking. Monday afternoon is the first real standout. The wind drops right off, going glassy from the S, and we're looking at a clean, 6ft SW groundswell with a solid 14-second period. The combined energy is strong at 1955, so there's plenty of grunt. This is the one to circle for experienced surfers – clean, glassy conditions and a solid pulse of SW swell. A bit too much size for beginners, but for the rest of us, it's a beauty.

Tuesday 1st September: The swell backs off a touch to 6ft, but the wind goes howling from the N at 25 mph. It's cross-offshore, so the face will be clean, but that wind will make it a battle. Only for the keen.

Wednesday 2nd & Thursday 3rd: Swell builds back up, pushing 7-8ft from the SW, but wind is a problem. It's cross or cross-off, but strong, making it lumpy and hard work.

Friday 4th September: Swell ramps up big time, hitting 10ft in the morning and a whopping 13ft in the afternoon from the SW (combined energy hitting 9945 – that’s serious power!). But it comes with fresh cross-onshore wind and light rain. This is more of a kitesurfing setup than a paddle session. Huge, messy, and dangerous.

Saturday 5th: More big swell, 10-8ft from the SW, but again, the wind is strong and cross-off. Clean faces but a battle to get out.

Sunday 6th: Big and messy. 13ft swell with onshore wind. Steer clear.

Monday 7th & Tuesday 8th: Now here's the second standout window. The swell drops right back to a much friendlier 5-6ft from the SW. Monday morning is glassy with light NNE winds and a long-period SW swell. Tuesday morning is clean with a light ESE cross-off. The energy is moderate (around 627-834), but the conditions will be superb. This is for everyone, the water will be clean, and the waves will have a nice shape.

Wednesday 9th through Saturday 12th: The forecast gets a bit messy again. The swell moves back up and down between 4ft and 10ft, with wind swinging all over the place. The real standout in this later period is Friday 11th September afternoon. We’ve got a clean, 10ft SW groundswell with a very long 18-second period, and the combined energy is a massive 6703. The wind is a moderate cross-off from the NNW, so the wave faces will be clean. This is for experts only at that size, but the power and potential at this reef break could be off the charts. Long period groundswell like that will really wrap into the point. It's a long way out, so keep an eye on it, but it’s got serious potential.

For the last couple of days, Saturday 12th has 8ft swell at a 17-second period, but with onshore wind it's a no-go.

So, the two to focus on: Monday 31st afternoon for that glassy, clean 6ft swell, and the long-range promise of Friday 11th September afternoon for the big, clean, long-period groundswell.

Rusty.

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