Conto Springs Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. We’ve got a wild ride ahead at Conto Springs over the next couple of weeks. This reef break is exposed and very consistent, so there’s always something happening, but the quality’s going to bounce around like a cork in a washing machine.

Right out of the gate, Sunday the 30th kicks off with a solid 12 ft SW groundswell, with a very long period of 17 seconds pumping in – that’s a deep ocean groundswell with heaps of push (combined energy 6631, so moderate). The wind is light NNE, but it’s cross-on, so there’ll be a slight bump on the face. Still, that’s clean enough to be fun for intermediates. The water’s sitting at 66°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year. By Sunday afternoon, the wind swings NW and gets up to 15 mph, blowing straight onshore. The swell drops to 10 ft, but it’s messy – not worth paddling out for.

Monday the 31st is a write-off. Fresh onshore breezes up to 18 mph and some light rain mean the ocean’s a mess. Tuesday the 1st of September and Wednesday the 2nd are also no good – persistent cross-on winds and choppy conditions making the 8 ft to 10 ft SW swell a lumpy, frustrating affair.

Now, Thursday the 3rd gets ugly. Strong cross-on winds at 28 mph and a 13 ft SW swell – that’s blown out, dangerous, and only for the kamikaze crew. Friday the 4th is a standout, but a tricky one. The system delivers a massive 20 ft SW groundswell (period 16 seconds) with combined energy of 17870 – that’s very strong. The wind is a clean cross-off SSW at 15 mph, so the faces will look perfect. However, at this size, it’s too big for this break. Only absolute experts should even look at it. The afternoon drops to 16 ft with lighter cross winds, still too big for most.

Saturday the 5th is back to chaos – near gale-force onshore winds at 34 mph and a 13 ft windswell with a short period of 9 seconds. Forget surfing; this is kite-surfing territory.

That leads into a huge Sunday the 6th. Morning brings a 13 ft SW swell (12 seconds) and cross winds at 18 mph, but the afternoon is the real deal – a 18 ft SW groundswell with an extremely long 18-second period. Combined energy hits 17564 (very strong), and the wind is a moderate cross at 12 mph. That’s an absolute freight train, but again, it’s too big for Conto Springs. Only the most experienced are going near it. Monday the 7th keeps the giant swell going with 21 ft SW on Sunday morning and 18 ft in the afternoon, both with light winds – perfect conditions for the brave, but same warning: too big for this spot.

Things settle a bit from Tuesday the 8th, with the swell dropping to 12 ft, but the winds are messy and onshore, so not a good bet. Wednesday the 9th brings a nice moment: the morning has a tiny 8 ft SW swell (period 15 seconds) with almost glassy cross-on wind at 3 mph – that’s clean and rideable for intermediates. The afternoon is a real highlight – the swell picks up to 10 ft, period 16 seconds, and the wind goes cross-off SSW at 9 mph. The waves will be clean, lined up, and perfect for experienced surfers. This is your best window on offer.

Thursday the 10th and Friday the 11th are marginal onshore affairs with 10 ft to 12 ft SW swell – passable but nothing special. Saturday the 12th is blown out by strong NW winds, and Sunday the 13th is just average with cross winds.

The final call is Monday the 14th: a 12 ft SW groundswell (15 seconds) with very light cross-on and cross winds, giving clean, workable waves for intermediates.

The one true standout on the whole run is Wednesday 9th afternoon at Conto Springs. Big 10 ft SW groundswell, 16-second period (solid groundswell energy), combined energy at 4333, and that clean cross-off wind will make for some memorable, well-shaped waves. It’s a reef, so it’ll hold that long period nicely. Crowds are sometimes an issue here, so get out there early.

Stay safe, and remember – when it’s over 8 ft here, it’s expert country.

Rusty.

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