City Beach groyne Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s cooking for City Beach groyne over the next couple of weeks.

It’s a pretty bleak start, I’m not gonna lie. The first notable surf doesn’t show up until Tuesday, 11 August, and the conditions leading up to it are a write-off. Friday 7th afternoon has some swell, but it’s a messy 8ft WSW groundswell with a 15-second period and a moderate onshore wind, and the water is 62°F, which is a damn sight colder than usual for this time of year. The next few days are just a battle of building swell and howling winds. Saturday the 8th is a total loss with a near gale cross-onshore, and Sunday the 9th is only marginally better with light cross-shore breezes but the swell is still a bit lumpy. Monday the 10th is blown out again.

So, we’ve got a gap of about three days with nothing to get excited about until that Tuesday morning. Now, Tuesday 11th August morning is the standout. We’ve got a solid 15ft of WSW groundswell rolling in, with a very long 17-second period. The wind is light and cross-offshore from the SSE, which should clean it right up. The combined energy is massive at 11845, so this is serious power. But, and it’s a big but, this is a beach/groyne setup, and a long-period swell this size is going to be a freight train. It’s going to be way too big for beginners and only for experienced surfers who know the break. The crowd factor is “often”, so expect a few locals out.

After that Tuesday morning window, the wind turns onshore and the quality drops off hard. The rest of that week is a mix of marginal and poor conditions, with onshore winds and choppy surf. Thursday 14th August offers a glimmer of hope. The morning is clean with a light cross-offshore breeze from the NE, and a 7ft WSW groundswell at 16 seconds. The afternoon goes absolutely glassy with a slight ESE breeze. Still, the energy is moderate (2343), and it’s a manageable size.

Saturday 15th August is another standout. The afternoon is glassy, with a light NE breeze, 6ft of WSW groundswell with a 14-second period, and the combined energy is 1273. The morning is clean too, but with a bit more breeze. This is the best, most user-friendly window for the whole run. The size is right for a good session, and the conditions are pristine.

The week after that turns grim again. Sunday 16th has an 8ft swell, but the wind is light and cross-shore, so it’s okay. The following Monday 17th has a big 10ft WSW groundswell, but by afternoon it’s a fresh cross-onshore and lumpy. From Tuesday 18th August onwards, it’s a wall of poor or blown-out conditions, with onshore winds and messy surf right through to the end of the forecast on Saturday 22nd August. The swell is still there, but the wind is relentless.

So, to wrap it up for City Beach groyne: the best bet is the glassy afternoon on Saturday 15th August. The Tuesday 11th August morning is a big, powerful, expert-only session, but the glassy Saturday is the one for everyone else. The rest is a lot of waiting for the wind to sort itself out.

Rusty.

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