Cape Schanck Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ll be straight with you – the next couple of weeks at Cape Schanck are a real mixed bag. We’ve got some serious size showing up, but the wind is going to be the main character for most of it. We’ll see some good windows, but you’ll have to be patient and pick your moments.

Right now, the immediate outlook is rough. We’re looking at Saturday afternoon with a solid 10 ft SW swell, but a strong cross-onshore wind is just thrashing it. The water temp is sitting around 57°, which is about average for this time of year, and the wave energy is pumping (3867), but it’s not surfable for anyone wanting a good wave. That’s going to bleed into Sunday morning and afternoon with smaller 6-7 ft SW swell but still mostly cross-onshore winds making things choppy. Monday through to Wednesday of next week is more of the same: plenty of swell, but those strong winds from the north and then southwest are going to keep the surface messy. Wednesday the 29th looks particularly brutal with a massive 13 ft SW groundswell and howling onshore winds, so give that a miss.

We hit a real dry spell after that, with Thursday and Friday the 30th and 31st offering small, blown-out surf. It’s not looking good.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. We finally get a couple of standouts. The first real chance comes on Saturday the 1st of August. The morning is still small and clean but only 3 ft, so it’s marginal. But the *afternoon* is where we get our first standout. A 6 ft SW swell with a long 17-second period rolls in, and the wind drops to a light cross-offshore breeze. It’ll be clean, lined-up, and the wave energy is strong (2169). This is excellent for experienced surfers, and it’s the best clean swell we’ve seen in a week. Expect crowds at this advanced reef break, as it’s consistent and fairly exposed.

Then, after a few more days of strong winds ruining the quality on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th of August, we get our second standout. Thursday the 6th of August is the pick of the entire outlook. A clean 5 ft SW groundswell with a period of 17 seconds and a gentle offshore wind from the NNE. This is textbook Cape Schanck. The surface will be glassy, the sets will have proper power, and the wave energy is solid (1574). The morning session is rated excellent for experienced surfers, and the afternoon holds up well with a 5 ft swell and light cross-offshore conditions. This is the day to call in sick.

After that, the swell starts to fade into the second week, with Friday the 7th offering a smaller clean window but weaker energy. The 9th of August sees a bump in size, with a 8 ft SW swell on Sunday morning, but a fresh cross-offshore wind keeps it clean, and the afternoon sees offshore winds with a 6 ft SW swell, making it another solid option for experienced surfers, though the period drops to a punchier 11 seconds.

Overall, if you can wait, the clean windows on the 1st of August afternoon and the 6th of August are your best bets. The wind is the enemy here, but when it lines up, it’s worth the wait.

Rusty.

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