Carola Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Well, I’ve had a good look at what’s on the table for Carola over the next 16 days, and I’ve got to be straight with you—it’s a tough run. The forecast kicks off on Monday the 31st of August with barely a ripple, and honestly, the whole window is a struggle. Expect a long, frustrating gap from the start all the way through until around the 8th of September, where we finally see some tiny pulses. Even then, the surf quality never really gets going. Let’s walk through it.

Monday the 31st of August sees a tiny 0.3 ft of north swell at 6 seconds, combined energy is just 1—that’s about as weak as it gets. Southerly cross-shore wind at 12 mph doesn’t help, so the water’s messy. Water temp is sitting at 77°, which is a whopping 8° warmer than usual for this time of year—very unusual, feels like bathwater, and that anomaly sticks with you through the whole outlook. Nothing to ride.

Tuesday the 1st of September is flat, and it stays flat or near-flat for days. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday—all dead. The combined energy is zero for most of those sessions, and when we get a ghost of a pulse on the 4th and 5th, it’s 0.3 ft from the northwest with a period around 10 seconds, energy only 4 to 7. Not surfable.

Then on Tuesday the 8th of September morning, we finally see a tiny bump: 1 ft from the northwest, period 11 seconds, combined energy climbing to 31. Still poor surf conditions though, and the wind is cross-off from the SSE at 12 mph—clean, but there’s nothing to catch. Wednesday the 9th afternoon nudges to 40 energy, still 1 ft. Thursday the 10th is the best of a bad lot: 1 ft from the northwest, period stretching to 13 seconds—that’s long-period groundswell—energy hits 61. Wind is cross-off and moderate, so it’s clean. But honestly, it’s knee-high at best. This is a reef break, exposed to north swell, so the direction suits it, and the longer period means better shape, but there’s just no power. A 1 ft wave with 13 seconds will be slow and weak. For an advanced crew, it’s a paddle, not a ride.

Friday the 11th and Saturday the 12th hold similar tiny 1 ft northwest swell, energy in the 40s, and then by Sunday the 13th it flatlines again through to the end of the outlook on the 15th of September. No standout days. Nothing to recommend. If you’re a kitesurfer, the light winds and clean conditions might look more interesting than paddle surfing here, because the surf just isn’t happening.

It’s a quiet period for Carola. Forecasts can change, but right now, save the wax.

Rusty.

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