Surf Forecasts:
Cape Schanck surf forecast from 1 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 6 Sep, 1PM (local time) - 8ft (2.4m), 14s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 8 Sep, 4PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 17s period, SW swell with 8,216 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 6 Sep, 1PM (local time) - 8ft (2.4m), 14s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Cape Schanck this week:
The surf forecast for Cape Schanck over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Sunday (Sep 06) at 1PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.4m and 14s period. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Cape Schanck in the next 16 days are 3.5m 17s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Sep 08) at 4PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 4.0m 14s period and expected on Thursday (Sep 03) at 7PM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 1PM (Sun 6th Sep) | 8ft (2.4m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 1PM (Sun 6th Sep) | 8ft (2.4m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 4PM (Tue 8th Sep) | 11ft (3.5m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Cape Schanck over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here, pulling up the chair for a look at what’s coming our way. We’ve got a bit of a story to tell, so grab a coffee.
Right off the bat, it’s not looking like a classic start. We’ve got a solid run of days where the ocean is just not playing ball, with big winds and messy conditions messing up a lot of what would otherwise be good swell. There’s a real gap in quality from the get-go, with nothing worth paddling out for until we get to the start of the next week. Hang tight for a few days, because things do turn around.
The first real glimmer of hope arrives on Sunday, September 6th. The morning has a clean, cross-off breeze, with a 8ft SW swell – that’s a moderate wave energy, strong enough for a proper push. But it’s the Sunday afternoon that really gets the heart going. The wind goes glassy – dead calm, flat – straight out of the east at only 3 mph. The swell drops a touch to a very surfable 7ft from the southwest. That’s proper groundswell energy. For a reef like Cape Schanck, that long period means the waves will have shape and power, but you’ll get those longer lulls between sets. It’s an excellent afternoon for experienced surfers only – that 7ft is solid, and the reef won’t give you any favours. The crowds can be “often” here, so you might have some company for those clean lines.
The water temperature is sitting at 57°, pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so a decent 4/3 wetsuit is the call.
After that Sunday highlight, the week gets a bit patchy again with cross-onshore winds messing things up. Then, we jump to the next weekend. Saturday, September 12th morning offers a clean window with a cross-off north-northwest breeze at 16 mph. The swell is a punchy 7ft from the southwest. It’s a solid, clean option at this break, though the tide might make it a bit fickle – keep an eye on the banks.
Then, the true standout for the second week looks to be Sunday, September 13th. The whole day looks unreal. The morning is glassy – zero wind – with a 5ft SW swell. That’s a smaller, friendlier size, making it accessible for a broader range of skill levels. The afternoon has a light east breeze, keeping it clean with a 4ft SW swell. This is the one to circle on the calendar – a Sunday Funday with classic Cape Schanck conditions.
Overall, don’t bother with the first few days. The real best bets are the glassy Sunday, September 6th afternoon for the experienced crew, and the clean, smaller Sunday, September 13th for everyone who wants a piece of that reef. Wait for the wind to play nice, and you’ll be rewarded.
Stay stoked,
Rusty
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Tue night. Very mild (max 19°C on Tue morning, min 10°C on Thu night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the N on Tue morning, moderate winds from the W by Tue night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Fri night. Very mild (max 15°C on Fri night, min 10°C on Sat night). Winds decreasing (near gales from the WNW on Fri night, calm by Sun afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | WSW 14 | SW 14 | SW 15 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | WSW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 21 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
1474 | 949 | 742 | 2107 | 2255 | 2263 | 0 | 4529 | 4497 | 4829 | 4301 | 2944 | 0 | 6189 | 4076 | 2746 | 1836 | 919 | 398 | 326 | 208 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 2:24PM1.62m | 2:56AM1.66m | 2:54PM1.64m | 3:36AM1.71m | 3:25PM1.65m | 4:17AM1.72m | 3:58PM1.64m | 5:00AM1.69m | 4:35PM1.62m | 5:48AM1.62m | 5:17PM1.57m | 6:43AM1.54m | 6:06PM1.50m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 8:39PM0.23m | 8:57AM0.40m | 9:12PM0.13m | 9:34AM0.44m | 9:48PM0.07m | 10:11AM0.49m | 10:26PM0.04m | 10:50AM0.57m | 11:09PM0.05m | 11:34AM0.65m | 11:58PM0.11m | 12:25PM0.74m | 00:56AM0.20m | ||||||||
6:43 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | |
— | 5:57 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:59 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:02 | — | |
mm | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 1 |
Temp °C | 19 | 19 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 13 |
Feels °C | 11 | 12 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 9 | 13 | 10 | 14 | 10 | 12 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | — | SW 14 | SW 15 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | — | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 13 |
1474 | 949 | 742 | 2107 | 2255 | 2263 | — | 4529 | 4497 | 4829 | 4301 | 2944 | — | 6189 | 4076 | 2746 | 1836 | 919 | 398 | 326 | 400 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SW 17 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | — | — | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | — | — | — | — | SW 18 | — | ESE 3 | SE 4 | SW 21 |
94 | 47 | 290 | 162 | 215 | 169 | — | — | 280 | 357 | 304 | 284 | — | — | — | — | 81 | — | 1 | 6 | 208 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | SSW 15 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 22 | SW 21 | SE 4 |
— | — | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 18 | 17 | 4 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 4 | NW 4 | WNW 4 | WSW 5 | — | NW 4 | WSW 14 | SW 14 | — | NNW 3 | NNW 4 | NNW 4 | WSW 14 | SW 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ESE 4 | — |
21 | 20 | 25 | 37 | — | 24 | 3678 | 3119 | — | 5 | 10 | 26 | 5153 | 3923 | — | — | — | — | — | 18 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 80 | 51 | 49 | 13 | 13 | 48 | 478 | 52 | 48 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 534 | 473 | 13 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 12 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Mornington Peninsula | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Cape Schanck Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Cape Schanck provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Cape Schanck can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Cape Schanck surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Cape Schanck) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Cape Schanck may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
Cape Schanck is 34 km (21 miles) from Mornington. If you plan a holiday in Mornington Peninsula, look for hotels and other accommodation in Mornington. Mornington has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











