Cathedral Rock Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, Rusty here, and I've got a look at the coming swell window for Cathedral Rock. This is a point break that's fairly consistent, and it's set to fire up for a good stretch. The water temp is sitting at 57°, which is pretty much spot on for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The first real stand-out is going to be Sunday morning, the 30th of August. We've got a solid 8 ft swell from the southwest, with a 13-second period pushing a lot of energy (1973). The wind is glassy, coming in from the southwest at just 3 mph, so the surface is going to be dead smooth. This is prime for experienced surfers – the size is getting up there, so it's not for the beginners. The crowd is a bit of a factor here, as it can get busy, but on a morning like this, it's worth the paddle out.

That energy builds nicely into Monday morning, the 31st of August. The swell bumps up to 8 ft from the southwest, with a 14-second period and a massive energy spike (2718). Once again, we've got glassy conditions with a light NNE breeze at 3 mph. This is a beauty. The longer period means the waves will have more shape and power, perfect for a point break like this. The morning is definitely the pick here.

Now, we hit a bit of a lull. Tuesday the 1st of September sees a fresh breeze from the NNW at 19 mph, making things messy. The swell drops a bit, and the quality goes with it. We get a few clean-ish morning windows on Wednesday the 2nd and Thursday the 3rd, but the wind is cross-offshore, which can make for a bit of a tricky lineup. The swell on Thursday morning is a solid 13 ft from the southwest (9450 energy), but it's a big, powerful groundswell that's best left for the experts. That afternoon, it jumps to 16 ft (15085 energy), but with a cross-shore wind, it's going to be a bumpy, tough paddle.

The next real highlight that's a must-mention is Friday, the 4th of September. Both morning and afternoon are looking clean. The morning has a 12 ft swell from the southwest (5384 energy) with a light NNW cross-offshore breeze. The afternoon is even better – the wind swings to a true offshore from the NNW at 9 mph, with a 10 ft swell (4351 energy). This is the kind of afternoon where you get those long, lined-up point waves. The period is 15 seconds, so it'll be a proper groundswell, and the wind will keep it absolutely clean.

Saturday the 5th of September is a write-off. The wind cranks up from the west and southwest, making things choppy and lumpy. Sunday the 6th and Monday the 7th settle back down with cleaner conditions and smaller, more manageable swell. The 7th has a 5 ft to 6 ft range with a light offshore wind, making it a good option for a bit of a smaller, relaxed session.

We have to watch out for Tuesday, the 8th of September. A massive 18 ft to 15 ft swell from the west and WSW hits, but with a 22 mph cross-on and onshore wind from the SSW. This is a full-on, blown-out mess. The forecast actually says it's too big for this break. I'd be looking at something else, or maybe even the kites.

After that, the second week is a bit of a mixed bag. Wednesday the 9th and Thursday the 10th of September stay big, with 10 ft to 12 ft swells, but the wind is cross-on or cross-shore, so the quality is marginal. The best bet in that stretch is Thursday afternoon, the 10th of September, with a 10 ft swell from the southwest and a gentle cross-shore wind that might just line up some decent ones.

The real gem in the second week comes on Saturday, the 12th of September. The morning is absolute glass with zero wind and a 8 ft swell from the southwest (2914 energy). This is a classic clean, point-break session. The long period (14 seconds) will give it plenty of power.

Finally, Sunday the 13th of September and Monday the 14th of September close out the window with some lovely offshore winds from the north and NNW. The swell is a bit smaller, around 6 ft to 7 ft, but the wind is clean and offshore. The 13th morning has a 7 ft swell with a 17-second period (2944 energy) – that's some very long-period groundswell. It'll be glassy, clean, and easy to paddle out on. A perfect way to finish the run.

Keep your eyes peeled for the 30th and 31st of August mornings, and again for the 4th and 12th of September. The rest of the time, you'll be working for it.

Rusty.

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