Depressions Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty. Let’s chew the fat about the surf ahead for Depressions.

Look, straight up, this stretch is a bit of a tough one. We’ve got a long, slow grind ahead with only one proper standout window, and that’s right at the tail end. The early part of the run is pretty much a write-off for any decent paddle surfing, with mostly poor conditions and weak, messy energy.

From Saturday the 22nd right through to the end of August, it’s a real battle. The swell is tiny, mostly around 1ft to 2ft from the SSW or SW, and the wind is constantly on or cross-onshore from the SW or WSW. It’s just not happening – a lot of poor surf conditions, and even the afternoons get a bit choppy. The combined energy is weak, sitting between 145 and 274, which is just a fart in a wetsuit. There’s a brief bump on Tuesday the 25th afternoon with 5ft from the WNW, but the period is a short 6 seconds and the wind is cross-onshore, so it’s messy and unappealing.

Then from Wednesday the 26th through to the end of August, things improve slightly but are still marginal. The swell picks up a bit, hitting 3ft to 6ft at times, with the combined energy climbing into the moderate range (321 to 714). The wind is mostly light, which is a plus, but it’s often cross-onshore. Wednesday afternoon the 26th has 3ft from the S with 14-second period and moderate energy (714), and while it’s still cross-onshore, it’s a step up. Then on Monday the 31st of August afternoon we get a real tease: 6ft from the WNW, a short 6-second period, but the wind goes glassy. That’s the first real clean look, and it’s rated as good surf conditions, but the short period means it’ll be a bit fat and dumpy on the bank.

The standout, and really the only one worth getting excited about, is the first week of September. Thursday the 3rd and Friday the 4th see a solid push of groundswell from the WNW, with heights around 4ft to 5ft and a period of 9 seconds. The combined energy jumps into the strong range – 719 on Thursday morning and a whopping 1059 on Friday morning. That’s serious grunt. The wind stays light and onshore (SW), so it’ll be a bit bumpy, but the power is there. Friday afternoon the 4th also swings a long-period 20-second S swell at 2ft, which is a beautiful line but small. For the experienced crew, that Friday morning with the 5ft WNW swell (1059 energy) is the pick of the entire run. It’s not perfect with the onshore wind, but the size and energy are proper. Remember, the water is sitting at 69°F, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year – a solid 6°F above average, so you can go in with a spring suit or even just a rashie.

After that, Saturday the 5th and Sunday the 6th drop back to smaller, weaker S/SSE swells in the 3ft to 3ft range, with moderate energy (613 to 668) and light onshore winds. Just average, marginal stuff to close it out.

So, if you’re keen, save your energy for that Thursday 3rd to Friday 4th September window. That’s the only time the ocean really wakes up. The rest is mostly a blank run for a proper surf.

Rusty.

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