Depressions Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's look at what's on the cards for the next 16 days. Honestly, it's a tough stretch of small, onshore slop and wind-affected waves. We are looking at a long stretch with very little to get excited about, so don't be booking a sickie just yet.

The first decent chance doesn’t pop up until Tuesday the 18th of August, and even then it's marginal. The water is sitting at a wild 71°F – that is a massive 7°F above average, feeling more like a bath than the ocean.

For the first five days, from Saturday the 15th right through to Wednesday the 19th, it’s all cross-on and onshore wind (WSW to SW) with tiny swell. We're seeing 2 ft of very long-period (16 seconds) south-southwesterly groundswell, but it’s battling a 9 mph wind. The wave comment is "poor surf conditions" across the board, and the scores are essentially zero. This is a write-off for paddling. Just leave the board in the car.

Thursday the 20th and Friday the 21st are even smaller, dropping to 2 ft and then 1 ft. There’s nothing here.

Now, moving into the second week, there’s a slight change but it’s not exactly lighting the world on fire. From Saturday the 22nd through to Monday the 24th of August, we see a shift to a short-period (6 to 8 seconds) WNW windswell. Saturday the 22nd offers the pick of this whole forecast period if you’re desperate.

Depressions is the only break on the menu. On Saturday afternoon the 22nd, the swell bumps up to 4 ft from the WNW with a period of 8 seconds. The wind is light and onshore (SW at 6 mph). It’s rated as "marginal". This is a beginner-friendly size, but the short period and onshore wind mean the waves will be soft and lumpy. It’s the best of a bad lot, but that’s not saying much. By Saturday the 29th and Sunday the 30th, we see a return to larger, longer-period SSW groundswell (3 ft at 16 seconds), but the wind stays tricky. The energy on Friday the 28th afternoon spikes, but a 9 mph cross-on wind makes it look like a kite-surfing proposition rather than a clean paddle session.

Overall, this is a lean 16-day run. There are no true standouts. If you have to get wet, the afternoon of Saturday the 22nd at Depressions is your only real shot for a marginal, beginner-friendly wave. Otherwise, keep an eye on the long-range improvement for the last few days of the month – that bigger swell is promising, but the timing and wind alignment are still uncertain from this distance.

Rusty.

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