Coastguard Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, mate. Rusty here, and I’ve got to level with you. The next couple of weeks are looking pretty grim on the surf front. We’ve got a solid 16-day window, but the truth is, the waves are just not showing up in any meaningful way. It’s a bit of a flat spell, and you’ll be waiting a long time for anything decent.

The only break on the radar is Coastguard Beach, and it’s a consistent spot, but the problem is the swell. From now through the end of the forecast, the waves are tiny. We’re talking 0.3 ft to maybe 4 ft at best, and the energy is weak. The combined swell energy is mostly in the single digits or low double digits, hitting a peak of 154 on the 31st of August afternoon, but even then it’s just moderate energy. The swell direction is all over the place – ESE, E, SE, NE – but the optimum direction for this spot is SE, so only a few of those line up. The period is short, mostly 4 to 10 seconds, so it’s really just wind swell, not groundswell.

The water temperature at the start is 70°, which is about 2° warmer than average for this time of year, so it’s a bit on the mild side, but nothing crazy.

Looking at the next few days, Thursday the 20th and Friday the 21st are totally flat with poor surf, and the wind is mostly cross-off or cross, which is okay for texture, but there’s no wave to ride. Saturday the 22nd has a bit of swell at 3 ft, but with onshore winds and rain, it’s messy. Sunday the 23rd has a glassy morning with 2 ft swell from the SE, but the period is only 5 seconds, so it’s weak and weak. The 24th through the 26th are all tiny, with some offshore or glassy conditions, but you’re looking at 0.3 ft to 2 ft – not worth paddling out for.

Now, near the end of August and into early September, there’s a slight bump. From the 28th of August onward, the swell picks up a bit, hitting 3 ft to 4 ft, and the combined energy gets into the three-digit range (75 to 154). But the wind is almost always onshore or cross-on, from the NE or ENE, which is going to mess up the surface. The period is still short (5 to 9 seconds), and the swell direction is from the E or NE, not the optimum SE. So, even though the size is there, it’s going to be choppy, lumpy, and generally poor.

The best you’re looking at is maybe the morning of the 3rd of September, with a 2 ft swell from the E, a 8-second period, and a cross-off wind from the SW at 12 mph. That’s clean, but it’s still small. The afternoon of the 3rd is similar but with a stronger 18 mph wind.

Overall, there’s no standout day. The best option is probably the 28th of August afternoon, when the swell is 4 ft from the E, but the onshore wind is strong. For a beach break like Coastguard, with that short period and onshore wind, it’s more of a kite-surfing setup than a paddling session. It’s a tough stretch, but that’s the way it goes sometimes.

Rusty.

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