Carola Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Gotta be straight with you – the next couple of weeks are looking pretty bleak for a paddle. Let's get into it.

The whole 16-day window is a struggle. We’ve got a massive gap right from the start with no real surf to speak of. The first few days are a write-off, and honestly, the pattern doesn't really change. We’re looking at a long stretch of flat, quiet conditions. It’s the kind of blank run that’s more normal for the area, so don't be too shocked.

The only spot on the menu is Carola, a reef setup that takes a north swell. It’s an advanced wave, fairly consistent when it’s on, but it’s not on. The water is sitting at 78°F – that's a massive 8°F warmer than average for this time of year, which is very unusual for August/September.

Let’s walk through it. Saturday the 29th and Sunday the 30th of August, we’re looking at tiny, weak swell. We’re talking about 1 ft at best from the north, with a short period of 8-9 seconds. The combined energy is weak, just 12-13 (12). The wind is a cross-shore, so it’s chopped up and messy. Not worth getting wet.

Monday the 31st of August through to Thursday the 3rd of September, the swell drops to absolute zero. It’s flat. No energy, no waves. The wind is light and clean at times, but with no swell, it doesn’t matter.

Friday the 4th of September, we see a tiny blip – a 0.3 ft northwest swell with a 10-second period. Combined energy is a measly 4 (4). It’s clean, but it’s barely a ripple.

Saturday the 5th of September offers a similar story – 0.3 ft from the northwest, but this time the period stretches to 11 seconds. That’s a little more long-period groundswell character, but with only 5 (5) energy, it’s just a pulse. The wind is cross-shore, so it’s not even clean.

Then we go flat again from Sunday the 6th of September right through to Tuesday the 8th of September. Nothing.

Wednesday the 9th and Thursday the 10th of September, we get another tiny pulse. 0.3 ft to 0.7 ft from the northwest. On the 10th, the period jumps to 12 seconds, and combined energy hits 15 (15). The wind is clean and cross-offshore, but the swell is just too small to do anything with.

The best of a bad bunch comes on Friday the 11th of September. We’ve got 1 ft from the northwest with a 12-second period. Combined energy is 22 (22). The wind is a clean cross-offshore breeze. For a spot that needs north swell and clean conditions, this is the closest we get to a window. But 1 ft is tiny. The long period (12 seconds) means it’ll be a long wait between sets, and for a reef like Carola, it might break too straight. It’s an advanced spot, and with crowds possible, it’s a lot of effort for very little reward.

After that, from Saturday the 12th of September, it’s back to flat. No swell, no energy, all the way through to the end of the forecast on Sunday the 13th.

So, no standouts here. The whole period is a bust. Keep the board in the car and the wax in the cupboard. If you’re desperate, maybe the 11th of September offers a slim chance for a very dedicated, very patient expert, but I wouldn’t hold your breath. The forecasts can change, and it tends not to stay this poor for long, but for now, it’s a long, flat stretch.

Rusty.

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