Chinamans Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, let's break down what's coming for the next couple of weeks.

First, there's a solid run of southwest swell, and the combined energy numbers – those are well into the thousands (like 2491 on the 22nd), telling you there's plenty of power. Water temp is about 59°, right where it should be for this time of year.

The first few days are a bit of a bust for clean waves. Saturday the 22nd and Monday the 24th are plagued by cross-shore and onshore winds, making everything lumpy and choppy. That Saturday's 8ft southwest swell at 15 seconds looks good on paper, but with that breeze, it's a messy fight.

The first real window opens Sunday the 23rd. Early morning, a light NNE cross-offshore breeze and a clean 7ft swell from the southwest at 17 seconds. That's proper groundswell, and on a reef like Chinamans, that's magic. The combined energy is a massive 2758, but it's still manageable for the experienced crew. This is your best early bet – clean, solid, and with that long period, the sets will have real shape and punch.

Later in the week, Wednesday the 26th morning looks glassy with a 5ft southwest swell and dead calm. That's a dream session for a smaller board, but the energy is only moderate (704). Fun and clean, but not heavy.

Now, check Thursday the 27th afternoon. We're looking at 8ft of southwest swell with a 19-second period and a gentle north cross-offshore breeze. That's a serious groundswell with a combined energy of 4747. For experienced surfers, this is the heavy hitter of the first week. The period is so long, it'll stand up nicely on this reef, but expect long waits between sets.

There's about a three-day gap after the 28th where the onshore winds ruin it, until we hit gold on Monday the 31st. Both morning and afternoon are firing: 8ft of southwest swell (19-second period in the morn, 18 seconds in the arvo), with offshore and cross-offshore winds. That's two sessions of clean, powerful, expert-level surf. The energy is massive (4413 in the morning).

Moving into the first week of September, Tuesday the 1st stays clean with offshore winds and a dropping 7ft swell. But the big long-range one to watch is Saturday the 5th of September. I'm calling it now. We've got an 12ft southwest swell with a 17-second period and only a gentle cross-shore breeze. The combined energy is off the charts at 6386 in the morning, and even bigger at 7353 in the afternoon. This is a huge, powerful, long-period groundswell. The report flags it as "marginal" due to tide, but the raw power is undeniable. This is a big-water day for the experienced crew only – anything over 8ft is expert territory.

For the best on offer: The absolute standout is Monday the 31st of August morning: 8ft, 19-second period, offshore wind, clean, massive energy. For a slightly smaller but still brilliant session, Sunday the 23rd of August morning with clean 7ft southwest swell is your call.

There's consistent swell for the first 10 days, then a lull. The long-range stuff on the 5th and 6th is massive but less certain this far out. Keep it on your radar.

Rusty.

Read more