Chinamans Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what the ocean’s got cookin’ for the next couple of weeks. This forecast is all about Chinamans, a solid reef break that’s exposed to the southwest swell. It’s a fairly consistent spot, but it’s not for the faint of heart – this is advanced territory most of the time.

Right off the bat, we’ve got a nice little pulse for Wednesday afternoon. Swell is coming in at 4ft from the southwest with a long 13-second period, and the wind is light offshore from the northwest. The water’s sitting at 59°, which is about average for this time of year, so no dramas there. This is clean, lined-up reef surf—the kind that gets your heart pumping. The combined energy is moderate at 720, and it’s just pure, glassy fun.

Thursday keeps the good times rolling. The morning has a touch more wind, a moderate offshore breeze from the north at 20 km/h, but still clean with 4ft of SW swell. Then it gets even better for the afternoon. The swell bumps up to 5ft, the period stretches to 14 seconds, and the wind drops to a gentle offshore. The energy jumps way up to 1771, and the waves are gonna have some real push behind them. This is where it starts getting proper.

Friday is the first real standout of the window. The morning session is on. Swell is up to 7ft from the southwest with a long 16-second period. That’s a proper groundswell, and the wind is a light cross-offshore from the northeast. Combined energy is strong at 2537. This is powerful, organized surf for experienced riders. This is the one to circle on the calendar. The afternoon, though, gets a bit tricky with a light cross-onshore breeze and a drop in quality.

Saturday and Sunday are a bit of a mixed bag. Saturday morning gets messy with an onshore breeze, and the swell drops. Sunday has some size – 5ft in the afternoon – but it’s bumpy with a cross-onshore wind. Not the cleanest, but there might be some salvageable ones if you’re keen.

Monday, the 31st, is the second big highlight. The afternoon looks phenomenal. Swell is pumping at 7ft from the southwest, with a long 18-second period. The wind is offshore and gentle, and the combined energy is massive at 3066. This is big, clean, powerful reef surf. Absolutely prime for the experienced crew. The morning is decent too, with clean 6ft waves, but the afternoon is the pick.

The first week of September turns a bit wild. Tuesday the 1st has a strong offshore breeze, but it’s fresh, making things a bit tricky. Wednesday and Thursday stay clean but the winds are fresh and cross-offshore, holding the swell at a solid 5-8ft. It’s not bad, but it’s not the perfection we saw earlier. Then Friday the 4th and Saturday the 5th see the swell building big time – 8ft, then 10ft – but the wind is getting howling. By Saturday afternoon, it’s a near gale and the surf is just blown out. Sunday the 6th is the same, with a strong cross-shore wind and messy, chaotic waves – that’s not surf for anyone but a madman, and even then, probably more interesting for the kite crew.

That run of poor conditions lasts a few days. But just when you think it’s all over, the second week throws up the biggest standout of the whole forecast. Look at Monday the 7th’s afternoon: 10ft of SW swell with a 14-second period, and a gentle offshore wind. Clean, powerful, and heavy. That’s a serious day. Then Tuesday the 8th afternoon is the monster – the swell hits 10ft from the west-southwest, with a 16-second period, and the combined energy is off the charts at 8559. That’s a very strong, powerful swell. It’s going to be big, but if it’s clean, it could be the best day of the fortnight. Note, though, that this is a long-range call, so it’s promising but less certain.

The swell stays solid into Wednesday and then starts to ease back down by Thursday the 10th. The last day of the forecast shows a small, clean 4ft wave from the southwest with a light cross-offshore wind, a gentle finisher after all that madness.

So, if you’re looking for the best waves, the standout days are Friday the 28th morning, and Monday the 31st afternoon. Both are solid SW swells with clean winds and strong energy. The big, big stuff at the start of the second week is for the experts only – over 8ft, that’s not messing around. For the rest of us, just enjoy the show.

Rusty, signing off.

Read more