Chinamans Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto, gather 'round. Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's cookin' for the next couple of weeks.

Alright, we’ve got a solid run of swell from the southwest on the way, but it's gonna take a bit of patience to get the good ones. The energy is proper strong, like 9 to 10 feet (moderate to strong wave energy) for the first few days, but the wind is a bit of a mixed bag early on.

Friday, August 21st kicks it off at Chinamans, but it's a bit of a tease. There's a solid 7ft to 8ft SW groundswell rolling in, with a period of 14-17 seconds, which is a proper long-period groundswell. This reef break is exposed to the SW and loves that direction, so it's handling the size. But the morning is a bit messy with a cross-shore wind, and the afternoon gets a cleaner look with a cross-offshore breeze, but the call is still a bit marginal. The water temp is 59°, which is pretty normal for this time of year.

Saturday, August 22nd the swell hangs in at 8ft, but the wind stays cross-shore all day. It's a bit frustrating, really. The potential is there, but the surface is just a little lumpy for a top-tier session.

Now, Sunday, August 23rd is where we start to get a little buzz. The swell drops a touch to 7ft in the morning and 6ft in the afternoon, but the wind swings around to a light NNE breeze, giving us a nice cross-offshore flow. That's your ticket to clean, lined-up waves. The energy is still solid (9 feet), and the conditions are being called excellent for experienced surfers. This is a standout for the first week. But remember, Chinamans can get a crowd sometimes, so get in early.

Monday, August 24th the swell drops off a cliff to 4ft, and the energy plummets to 2 feet. Not a lot of push. The wind is clean, but the waves just aren't there.

Tuesday, August 25th is a write-off. The swell jumps back up to 7ft, but a strong SSW wind smashes it onshore, making a lumpy mess. Don't bother.

Wednesday, August 26th we see a drop-off in size and energy, and the wind is a bit all over the place. Not your day.

Thursday, August 27th is another interesting one. The morning is small, 3ft, but it's a very long period groundswell at 21 seconds with a clean offshore wind. That's a beautiful, clean line-up, but the swell is tiny. The afternoon is a different story – the swell jumps to 7ft with a 19-second period, and the energy is massive at 11 feet (strong). The wind stays clean, but the marginal call suggests it might be a bit tricky. Still, a very long period swell like that on a reef can be magic.

Friday, August 28th the swell is still solid at 7ft, but a strong WNW wind makes it a bit of a battle. The afternoon gets a 28 mph wind, which is just too much for a good paddle.

The first week of September is where the real promise lies.

Monday, September 1st is a standout. Solid 7ft SW groundswell with a 16-second period, and we get a proper offshore wind from the NNW. That's the recipe for perfection at Chinamans. The morning is a bit brisk with a 16 mph offshore, but it's clean and powerful. The afternoon is even better with a light offshore breeze. This is your best bet for a serious session.

Tuesday, September 2nd keeps the good times rolling, with a 5ft to 5ft SW swell and a clean offshore wind from the north. Excellent conditions for experienced surfers.

After that, the swell fades a bit, but there's a late pulse on Saturday, September 5th with a 7ft, 17-second SW groundswell and a strong offshore wind. The energy is 9 feet (strong), but the wind is fresh, so it's a bit more of a challenge. A promising but less certain prospect for the end of the run.

Overall, the best of the bunch is Sunday the 23rd of August and Monday the 1st of September. For the first week, Sunday is the cleanest. For the second week, Monday the 1st is the one to circle on the calendar. Keep your eyes peeled, the good ones are coming.

Rusty.

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