Clovelly Bombie Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ve gotta be straight with you – the next couple of weeks are looking pretty grim for a proper surf. There’s a long stretch of nothing much to write home about, so don’t bother checking the buoys every five minutes. We’ve basically got a gap from now until early next week with nothing worth paddling out for.

Starting Monday the 17th, it’s all small, weak and messy. We’ve got a tiny 3ft swell from the ESE with a short, wobbly 7-second period. Combined energy is weak (101). Wind is onshore and choppy, on top of rain showers. Water temp is 61°F, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year. Just forget it.

Tuesday the 18th is more of the same – 3ft, short period, onshore junk. Wednesday the 19th morning shows a little improvement: a clean, tiny 2ft swell from the ESE with a 10-second period, and a light cross-offshore breeze from the NNW. Combined energy is moderate (156). It’s surfable but very ordinary. The afternoon gets ruined by a NE breeze though.

Thursday the 20th morning is clean again with light winds, but we’re looking at a weak 3ft swell from the E with a short 6-second period (energy only 66). Not worth rushing down. From there it’s a total write-off until Monday the 24th. We’re talking days of tiny waves, poor conditions, and mostly onshore winds.

Monday the 24th is the first real glimmer. The morning shows a tiny 1ft swell, but hang on – the period is a massive 19 seconds, coming from the SSE. That’s a very long-period groundswell. Combined energy is moderate (93). Wind is light and cross-off from the NNW, making it clean. At this size, it’s tiny, but on a reef like Clovelly Bombie, that long period can wrap in and offer a sneaky glassy wave. It’s inconsistent and rarely breaks well, so don’t expect a crowd – but also don’t expect much. The afternoon is similar with clean conditions and energy hitting 102.

Thursday the 27th morning gives us another chance. Clean again, with a gentle offshore breeze from the WSW, and a 3ft SSE swell with a 10-second period. Combined energy is moderate (186). Surfable waves but very ordinary conditions. Still, it’s the best we’ve seen in a while.

Now for the one true standout: Friday the 28th morning. This is the pick of the entire outlook. We’ve got a solid 6ft swell from the NE with an 8-second period – so it’s a bit short-period, but the combined energy is strong (699). Wind is light from the NNE, just a slight cross-shore with small ripples. This is the biggest swell of the period. It’s an expert-only spot, and with the reef, that short period might make it a bit lumpy, but it’s the most size we’ve seen. The afternoon gets onshore and messy again, but if you can hit the morning window, it’s your best shot. The swell is over 5ft, so it’s not for beginners.

Saturday the 29th is back to small stuff, with a morning 3ft from the ENE (10-second period, moderate energy of 259), but with light cross-onshore breeze, it’s marginal at best. After that, the final days of August and into September get hammered by strong onshore winds from the NE and ENE, with fresh breezes and lumpy, choppy conditions. The surf stays small and poor.

So, the verdict: if you’ve got to surf, the early morning of Friday the 28th at Clovelly Bombie is your one and only proper chance. Otherwise, you’re looking at a long blank run. It tends not to stay this poor forever, but right now, it’s a waiting game.

Rusty.

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