Diggers Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a proper look at what Diggers has in store for us over the next couple of weeks. I won’t sugarcoat it – this is a tough read for a paddler. The first week is pretty flat and messy, but there’s a glimmer of something much bigger waiting for the brave in the second week.

We start off right now from Wednesday the 19th, and honestly, it's a slow grind. Wednesday afternoon sees a weak 5ft swell from the ESE at a middling 10 seconds, combined energy sitting at 433 – that’s moderate, but the cross-onshore breeze messes up the surface. The water temperature is around 68°, which is bang average for this time of year, nothing wild there.

Thursday the 20th and Friday the 21st are write-offs. We get onshore winds, the swell drops, and the period gets short and jumbly. Saturday the 22nd and Sunday the 23rd have glassy moments, but the swell is tiny – only 2ft – so unless you’re on a foamie or a longboard, there's nothing doing. The combined energy drops into the 40-51 range, which is weak as dishwater.

There is a long gap of poor conditions from the 20th right through to the 25th of August. It’s a dry spell, no good recommendations for a solid five or six days. Monday the 24th and Tuesday the 25th stay choppy and onshore, swell bumping up a touch but with nasty wind.

We get a slight breather on Wednesday the 26th – a clean, cross-off breeze with a 3ft swell from the ENE, period at 7 seconds. It’s surfable, but ordinary. Thursday the 27th gives us a proper offshore wind from the SSW and a clean-ish 3ft swell – the kind of morning that looks better than it is. Still, the wave height is marginal.

Friday the 28th morning is glassy with a 2ft swell, and the combined energy is 145 – decent for that size. It’s surfable, but you’ll be scratching for runners. By the weekend of the 29th and 30th, we’re back into tiny cross-onshore chop. Nothing to write home about.

Now, here’s where the story changes. Monday the 31st of August brings in a new pulse: 5ft from the SSE with an 11-second period, energy jumps to 544. Tuesday the 1st of September, things get serious. A 8ft SSE swell at 14 seconds, combined energy rockets to 2851 – that’s strong. For Wednesday the 2nd, it’s a huge 12ft from the south at 12 seconds, energy at 5214. That is a powerful, long-period groundswell. But, and it’s a big but – the forecast flags that this is too big for Diggers. The wind is onshore, and with that size and period, it’s going to be a washing machine. This is expert-only territory, and honestly, it looks more interesting for kite surfing than traditional paddle surfing. Thursday the 3rd persists with 8ft swell, still clean but big.

The one true standout in this whole forecast is Thursday the 27th of August morning. It’s the best balance of decent swell – 3ft from the ENE – with a proper offshore wind from the SSW. The combined energy is 131, the conditions are clean. For a break rated as consistent for beginners, this is your window. Sure, it’s not big, but the wind makes it clean and manageable. For the second week, the massive swell (31st August through 3rd September) is promising for the thrill-seekers, but with strong onshore winds and giant wave heights (8ft to 12ft), it’s not for the faint of heart. The crowd profile for Diggers says ‘often’, so don’t expect to have it to yourself, but for that Thursday session, it’s worth jostling for.

So, summary: start is poor, middle has one clean morning, and the end is a big, raw, powerful swell that’s best left to the experts or the kite crew. Keep your eyes on the 27th August morning and the big end of the month for a spectacle, even if you don't paddle out.

Rusty.

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