Chinamans Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, grab your board, it’s time to talk surf. This is Rusty, and I’ve been staring at the charts for our stretch of coast, specifically Chinamans. It’s a reef setup, so it’s got that proper feel to it, but it’s not for the faint of heart.

The overall pattern here is a mixed bag, a real feast-or-famine kind of run. We've got a couple of solid pulses of southwest groundswell, but the winds are going to be the deciding factor. The start of this window is a bit of a tease, and we’re going to have to wait through some average days before the good stuff lines up.

We're looking at Sunday the 23rd and the swell is already showing a bit of life, around 7ft from the southwest with a 17-second period. The energy in the water is strong, a reading of 2758, and the NNE breeze is keeping it cross-off and clean. The water temp is sitting at 59°, which is about average for this time of year. This is a day for the experienced crew, no doubt.

Monday the 24th is a step back. The swell drops to around 4ft and the period shortens to 14 seconds. The wind is up a bit more, out of the NE at 16 mph. It’s still cross-off, but the energy is weak, only 619, and the forecast is marginal. You’d be fighting for scraps.

Then Tuesday the 25th is a flat-out no-go. The swell jumps back up to 8ft, but the wind swings around to the SSW at 19 mph, making it a lumpy, choppy mess. The energy is huge at 4290, but it’s all over the place. This is a day to stay on land; the ocean is just going to be angry.

Now, this is where things start to turn around. Wednesday the 26th and Thursday the 27th are looking proper. We see that wind shift to the NNW, becoming offshore. On Thursday, the swell is a clean 5ft with a long, 19-second period, and the energy is pumping at 2597. This is the kind of day that makes it all worth it. Glassy, offshore, and lined up. This is your first real standout.

Friday the 28th keeps that quality rolling. Swell is still a healthy 7ft from the southwest, with a 16-second period. The wind is light, either out of the north or swinging to a clean WNW. It’s going to be a beautiful day out there. The energy is still strong at 2475, and it's just clean, clean, clean. This is your second standout, right here.

We get a bit of a lull over the weekend of the 29th and 30th. The wave heights drop a touch and we get some onshore and cross-onshore winds from the south and east. Not great, not terrible, just average. The energy is still there, but the quality is lacking.

Then Monday the 31st and Tuesday the 1st of September bring back those offshore winds from the north and NNW. The swell is consistent, around 5ft to 7ft, with a good 15-16 second period. This is another solid stretch of clean, powerful surf, a return to form.

The window starts to close after that. Wednesday the 2nd still has a good swell, but the wind picks up. By Thursday the 3rd, the energy is fading fast. The weekend of the 5th and 6th is interesting, though. That Sunday the 6th of September is a real wildcard. The forecast shows an 8ft southwest groundswell, with glassy conditions. That’s a big, strong wave with the longest period of the entire run at 16 seconds. Energy is massive, at 3326. It’s going to be a serious, expert-only day. For everyone else, just watch from the sand.

The final day on the books, Monday the 7th, is a washout with a strong southwest storm blowing 28 mph, making a mess of the 8ft swell. Forget about that one.

So, keep your eyes on Thursday the 27th and Friday the 28th of August. Those are your best bets for a proper session. The long-range stuff, like that September 6th swell, is promising, but we'll see how it comes together as it gets closer.

This is Rusty, signing off.

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