Cape Schanck Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty. Let’s look at what Cape Schanck is serving up over the next couple weeks. It’s a slow burner for sure, and even when the swell shows, the wind’s usually messing it up. Cape Schanck is a reef break, so clean conditions are key, and for the first week plus, that’s just not happening.

The first real window is Monday the 31st of August, in the afternoon. Swell sits around 7ft out of the southwest, wrapping in fairly exposed, and the wind goes glassy – dead calm. That’s a rare score. The combined wave energy is strong (2017), so there’s plenty of push. The period is 14 seconds, a proper groundswell, meaning good shape and long lines. This one’s for experienced surfers given the size and the reef. Water temp is 57°, about 2° above average for this time of year – not crazy, just a touch warm. You’ll want a thick wetsuit and some patience, but Monday arvo could be clean and solid.

After that, Tuesday the 1st of September has clean conditions in the morning thanks to a strong cross-offshore breeze from the north at 28 mph. But that wind is brutal – it’s a strong breeze, and while offshore, it’s gonna make paddling out a real mission. Swell is 6ft SW with a 16-second period, a very long groundswell. That long period can make waves break straight at beach breaks, but at a reef like Cape Schanck it can be excellent. Still, the score is low because of the wind strength, so it’s more of a chore than a fun session.

The real standout, the one to mark on your calendar if this forecast holds, is Saturday the 12th of September. By Saturday afternoon, we’ve got a clean, cross-off breeze from the north-northwest at just 9 mph – gentle and perfect. Swell is 5ft from the southwest with a long 16-second period, a beautiful groundswell. Combined wave energy is moderate (1418), so it’s not a monster but it’s got enough grunt for good waves. The conditions are reported as excellent for experienced surfers. This is the pick of the whole outlook – clean, lined-up, and manageable size for an advanced crew. Crowds are likely at this spot, so get there early.

The week before that, from Friday the 4th through the 10th, it’s mostly onshore winds and poor surf conditions. A few windows like Thursday the 3rd afternoon have clean wind but the swell is 8ft and the wind is strong – over 25 mph – so it’s more of a kite session than a paddle session. Big swell, poor quality, strong wind, and a reef setup that just gets messy. Not for the surfboard.

For the second week, the 11th and 12th of September look the most promising. Friday the 11th has 8ft to 8ft SW swell with a very long period of 16-17 seconds, but the wind is cross or cross-onshore, so it’s choppy. The energy is strong (3676 on Friday morning), so there’s plenty of water moving. Saturday the 12th is the cleaner option as I said.

Overall, if you’re an experienced surfer, Monday the 31st of August afternoon and Saturday the 12th of September afternoon are your best bets. The rest of the window is mostly a write-off due to wind. Not a classic run, but a couple of gems if you’re keen.

Rusty

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