Caves (Sandsend) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cooking for the next couple of weeks.

We’ve got Caves (Sandsend) on the radar. It’s a point break, so it likes a bit of direction, and it’s set up for a north swell. Right now, there’s a bit of a wait. The start of the period is a real struggle. Saturday the 22nd has some swell, about 5ft from the NNE, but the wind is a messy cross and the energy is moderate (394). It’s just not happening. Sunday the 23rd morning is actually the first real chance. The swell drops to 4ft from the NNE, but the wind swings offshore from the WNW at just 3 mph. That’s glassy, clean conditions. The energy is moderate (211), and the period is a short 8 seconds, so it’ll be a bit lumpy, but for a point break, that offshore wind is a gift. That Sunday morning is the standout of the first week. It’s not huge, but it’ll be the cleanest you’ll see.

Then we hit a massive dry spell. From Sunday afternoon the 23rd all the way through to the end of August, it’s a write-off. Tiny, onshore, chopped up garbage. There’s a blip of clean offshore wind on the 29th and 30th, but the swell is barely a knee-high ripple. You’d be better off going for a paddle.

Now, hold onto your board, because things wake up on Monday the 31st of August. The morning brings a solid 5ft from the north with a 8-second period, and the wind is cross-off. The energy ramps up to moderate-strong (300). It’s clean. That’s the best session of the whole run. It’s not huge, but it’s fun and rideable. The water temperature is sitting at 62°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so you might not need the thickest wetsuit.

Tuesday the 1st of September sees a bigger push of north swell, hitting 6ft with a 9-second period. The energy is strong (537), and the wind is offshore from the west at 16 mph. That’s a clean, powerful wave. But at 6ft, this is getting into intermediate territory. If you’re a beginner, this might be a bit much. For the experienced crew, Tuesday morning is a proper session. The wind stays offshore through the afternoon and into Wednesday, with the swell settling around 5ft to 5ft, still clean. Wednesday afternoon the 2nd is another good call with a light offshore breeze and clean conditions on a 5ft NNE swell.

The run fades out after that. Thursday the 3rd still has some size, around 5ft to 6ft, but the wind goes cross-off, and the quality drops. Then from Friday the 4th onward, it’s back to tiny, near-flat conditions. The second week is a bust.

So, to sum it up: the first real window is Sunday morning the 23rd for a small, clean session. The absolute best day on offer is Monday the 31st of August, with a solid, clean northerly swell. Tuesday the 1st of September is the biggest, but it’s for the more experienced. Don’t get your hopes up for the second week; it’s flat.

Rusty.

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