Depot Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, Rusty here. Looks like we’ve got a bit of a slow start, but there’s a wave or two on the horizon for Depot Beach. Don’t get too excited just yet, though—there’s a gap of a few days before anything really worth paddling out for shows up.

Sunday the 9th is a write-off for the morning with a weak 2ft ENE windswell at 8 seconds and cross-shore winds making a mess. The afternoon cleans up a bit with a 5ft NE swell, but it’s nothing to write home about. Monday the 10th has a bit more size, 8ft NE in the morning and 7ft NE in the afternoon, but those winds are strong and the conditions are only marginal. The water is sitting at 64°F, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year.

The first real standout comes on Tuesday the 11th. The morning is looking mint: a clean 3ft S swell with an 11-second period and true offshore winds from the WNW. The combined energy is moderate (313), and the swell direction is bang on from the south. This is a groundswell with a decent period, so expect some nice lines, especially if you’re picking your peaks. The wind stays clean through the morning, and it’s glassy enough to have a good session. The afternoon turns cross-off, but that morning window is the best on offer early in the outlook.

Wednesday the 12th has a similar 3ft S swell in the morning, but the wind is cross-off and a bit stronger, so it’s not as clean as Tuesday. The afternoon goes offshore with a smaller 2ft S swell, but the energy is low (151). It’s surfable, but nothing special.

Thursday the 13th morning shows a 5ft S swell with a short 7-second period, so it’s a bit lumpy and junky, but the wind is cross-off and the combined energy is moderate (291). The afternoon goes cross-on and gets messy. Friday the 14th morning is a gem: glassy conditions with a 3ft S swell. The water is calm, the wind is dead calm, but the swell is small and the energy is low (154). It’s a glassy paddle, but you’ll be fighting for scraps.

The following week from Saturday the 15th through to Tuesday the 19th looks pretty average. There’s a run of poor surf conditions with small, wind-affected swells and cross-shore or onshore winds. The energy stays low to moderate, but nothing is clean or consistent. The swell direction moves around from S to E to ESE, but the wind never plays ball. It’s a flat spell, and you’re better off doing something else.

Things start to look up again on Wednesday the 19th. The morning has a 5ft E swell with cross-off winds from the SW, and the conditions are clean. The combined energy is moderate (221). It’s not a big swell, but the wind is good and the break is exposed to the E. The afternoon turns cross-on, so get it early.

The standout of the entire outlook comes on Thursday the 20th. The morning is glassy with a 5ft ENE swell. The wind is dead calm, the water is flat, and the combined energy is moderate (337). Swell direction is from the ENE, which is exactly what the optimum swell direction is for this spot. This is the cleanest, most promising session in the whole 16 days. The afternoon looks a bit lumpy with cross-on wind, but that morning is a beauty.

Saturday the 22nd also has a good morning: a 6ft ENE swell with a 10-second period and offshore winds from the WNW. The combined energy jumps to strong (631), and the conditions are clean. This is a serious swell, over 5ft, so it’s a bit much for beginners, but for the experienced crew, it’s a ripper morning. The afternoon turns cross-on, so again, the early bird gets the wave.

The last few days from Sunday the 23rd to Monday the 24th get blown out by strong winds and rain, with the swell dropping off. The 5ft ENE swell has a lot of energy (515), but the wind is howling from the SSE at 25 mph, making it a total mess. Save your energy.

So, to wrap it up: the best on offer is Thursday the 20th morning with that glassy 5ft ENE swell, and Saturday the 22nd morning with the 6ft ENE swell and offshore winds. Both are clean, both have decent energy, and the swell direction is right on the money. Get out there early.

Rusty.

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