Cape Schanck Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, it's Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the table for Cape Schanck over the next couple of weeks.

First up, we’ve got a solid pulse of SW groundswell arriving on Friday the 17th. The water temp is sitting at 57°, which is pretty much what you’d expect for this time of year. Friday morning starts with a clean 7ft SW swell from a deep 16-second period, with a light cross-off breeze from the NNW. The combined energy is pumping at 2281, but this is a reef break that's only for the experienced crew. It’s big and powerful, and the set gaps will be noticeable with that long period. Still, the shape should be unreal. Friday afternoon is where it’s at though – the wind drops to a glassy 5 km/h from the north, and the swell holds at 7ft SW with 16-second intervals. The combined energy pushes to 2381, and it’s going to be absolutely smooth. This is the standout session. Keep in mind, this spot can get crowded often, so get in early.

Saturday the 18th still has some size, with 6ft SW in the morning, but a cross-shore breeze messes the face up a bit. The afternoon cleans right up with a glassy 5 km/h WNW wind and 5ft SW swell at 13 seconds, giving clean, workable waves, but the energy drops to 880. It’s a good option, but not as strong as Friday.

Sunday the 19th is a write-off for the morning – tiny 0.3ft swell with a 20-second period, which is just a ghost. The arvo picks up a little to 3ft SW, but with a cross-off breeze, it’s not worth the trip.

From Monday the 20th through to the end of the first week, it’s a pretty grim stretch. Small swells, cross-off winds, and a lot of days with marginal or poor surf. The swell fades hard, and the energy drops to tiny numbers, like 25 on Monday. There’s a small pulse on Tuesday the 21st with 4ft to 5ft SW, but the wind is cross-off and the scores are low. By Wednesday the 22nd, it’s choppy and cross-onshore, and then Thursday the 23rd brings a 8ft SW swell but with a strong onshore wind – that’s just a messy, blown-out affair. Not for the paddle crew; that’s more of a kite day.

The second week kicks off with some serious size but poor conditions. Friday the 24th has a 10ft SW swell, but the wind is howling from the WNW at 45 km/h, making it a cross-onshore mess. The combined energy is massive at 5447, but it’s lumpy and dangerous. Only for the hardcore, and even then, it’s a mission.

Saturday the 25th backs off a bit to 6ft SW, but the wind is a moderate cross-off, so it’s clean-ish. The energy is 1144, so it’s a possible session for the experienced, but it’s not a standout.

The run from Sunday the 26th to Thursday the 30th is mostly poor. Strong onshore winds, cross-onshore lumps, and big energies that are wasted. Thursday the 30th has a 2ft SW swell with a 22-second period, which is a very long-period groundswell, but the wind is a near gale – it’s just not surfable.

The last few days of the outlook (31st July to 1st August) are all poor, with strong winds and messy conditions. There’s a 6ft SW swell on the 1st, but it’s blown out by a 45 km/h SSW onshore.

Bottom line: your best bet is Friday the 17th, especially the afternoon glass-off. That’s the one to book in. The rest of the window is a mix of marginal and poor, with a few wind-affected pulses. Keep an eye on the forecasts, but this one’s a short-lived gem.

Rusty.

Read more