Chinamans Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, switching to feet and fahrenheit.

We’re looking at Chinamans, a reef break that’s only for the advanced crew. The water’s sitting at 59°, which is pretty much normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The first real chance to get wet is Saturday afternoon, August 8th. We’ve got a solid 6ft SW groundswell running with a very long 15-second period, pumping 1432 units of energy. The wind is a cross-off from the NNE at 12 mph, which should keep it clean. It’s a decent start, but the forecast is a bit marginal, so don’t expect perfection. Sunday morning the 9th is similar but a touch smaller at 5ft and a bit breezier, so maybe give it a miss.

Sunday afternoon, though, looks like the first real standout. The swell holds at 6ft from the SW, the period stretches to 16 seconds, and the energy jumps to 2012. The wind drops to a light 6 mph from the WNW, staying cross-off. That’s clean, lined-up reef surf – experienced surfers, this is your window. It’s not too big, but the quality is there.

Then things get ugly. Monday the 10th through Thursday the 13th is a write-off. The swell pumps up to 12ft, but the wind is howling from the SW and WSW at 19 to 31 mph, creating a messy cross-shore chop. The energy readings are huge – over 10,000 at one point – but this is only for the brave or the foolish. It’s too big for beginners, and even for the experienced, the wind is ruining it. The setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing during this stretch.

Friday the 14th and Saturday the 15th are still on the big side, 10ft and 8ft, but the wind is lighter and onshore, so it’s bumpy and not great. The energy is still high, but the quality is marginal.

We get a bit of a breather from Sunday the 16th, with the swell dropping back to 5ft to 6ft, but the wind is onshore from the SE, so it’s not great.

Now, the real second half of the forecast shapes up nicely. From Monday the 17th of August right through to the end of the window, we see a consistent run of clean, offshore winds. Monday the 17th has 5ft SW swell, with light NNE winds, and the energy is moderate. Tuesday the 18th is similar, with a 6ft SW swell and cross-off winds.

The big standout in this second week is Friday the 21st of August. We’ve got a 8ft SW groundswell with a 17-second period, packing 3325 units of energy. The wind is offshore from the NNW at 12 mph, which will groom it perfectly. This is the best on offer for the whole period – clean, powerful, and long-period lines. It’s a bit big for beginners, but for the advanced crew, this is the session to circle. The crowds are possible at times, so get in early.

The following days, Saturday the 22nd and Sunday the 23rd, hold similar quality with offshore winds, though the swell eases off a bit and then picks back up to 8ft on the Sunday. The Sunday looks a bit more powerful but the wind is cross-off, so still clean.

Overall, there’s a rough patch in the middle of the first week, but the bookends are good. The real gold is Sunday afternoon the 9th and Friday the 21st.

Rusty.

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