Cape Schanck Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for Cape Schanck. This is a reef setup that’s fairly exposed to the SE, and it’s a consistent, advanced-level wave. The water’s sitting at 57°F, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year.

Honestly, the next few days are a bit of a write-off. We’ve got a big pulse of SW groundswell rolling in, but the wind is just a mess. Monday afternoon, the 10th, sees rain showers and a solid 22 mph SSW wind blowing straight onshore. That’s a no-go. The combined swell energy is right up there at 2360, but it’s unsurfable. Tuesday the 11th isn’t much better with a cross-shore NW breeze at 19 mph, leaving the ocean lumpy. Wednesday the 12th gets even bigger with a 8 ft, 16-second groundswell, but the wind is a strong 25 mph from the WSW. That’s a hard pass.

Thursday the 13th and Friday the 14th are still pumping with massive 10 ft SW swell, but the wind is cross-on or onshore, and the energy is monstrous (up to 6408 on Friday morning). That’s a power tripping swell, but it’s just too messy and blown out for paddle surfing. This setup is looking far more interesting for kite surfing than a traditional surf.

The Standout

We finally get a window of hope. Sunday morning, the 16th of August, is the real deal. The sky is clear, and we’ve got a light 6 mph offshore breeze from the NE. That’s the clean stuff. The swell drops to a comfortable 7 ft from the SW, with a 14-second period. The combined energy is still a solid 1715, giving it plenty of push. This is excellent surf for experienced surfers. The wind will be glassy, and the reef will be working cleanly. It’s the best of the whole run.

Monday the 17th is a decent follow-up. The morning stays clean with a light 6 mph NE offshore and 6 ft SW swell. The energy is still there at 1203. It’s a solid session, but not quite as good as Sunday.

The Rest

After that, the swell drops off. Tuesday the 18th is still clean with a light offshore, but the waves are smaller at 4 ft to 5 ft. Wednesday the 19th gets tiny, with 3 ft and 3 ft swell, but the afternoon is pure glass. That’s a good day for a longboard or a beginner session.

There’s a bit of a lull around the 20th and 21st, with waves dropping to almost nothing. The 22nd of August is a write-off, with a 31 mph near gale from the north keeping the ocean flat and messy. The final few days of the outlook, the 23rd through the 25th, bring a bit more size back, with 6 ft swell on the 23rd, but the wind is a fresh offshore or cross-off, which keeps it clean but not as good as the Sunday session. The energy is moderate to strong (up to 2115), but the wind is a bit too strong for perfect conditions.

Bottom line: If you’re an experienced surfer, be in the water at Cape Schanck on Sunday morning, the 16th. That’s the one. The rest of the window is either blown out, too small, or too windy.

Rusty.

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