Elliott Heads Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's be straight with you: this is a tough one. The forecast for Elliott Heads (reef) over the next 16 days is a real struggle. We're looking at a long, dry spell with basically nothing to get excited about. The water is sitting at 66°F with a 5°F anomaly, which is much colder than normal for this time of year, so you'll want a good thick wetsuit if you're even thinking about paddling out.

The first weekend, starting Saturday the 8th of August, is a total write-off. We're looking at tiny 2ft swell from the ENE with a short 8-second period, and the wind is a messy cross-onshore. The combined energy is a pathetic 48 (weak), and the report says "poor surf conditions." There's no way around it – it's flat and choppy. Sunday isn't any better with a bumpy 3ft and more onshore wind.

The following week from Monday the 10th through to Friday the 14th of August is no good either. The swell stays tiny, peaking at a weak 3ft on Monday from the north, but with a pitiful 5-second period from a cross-shore wind. The energy readings are all in the double digits, barely cracking 100. The wind does go clean and cross-offshore on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, but with wave heights of 2ft and 1ft, there's just no power to work with. It's a classic case of "clean but flat."

We then hit a brutal gap. From Thursday the 13th of August through to Sunday the 16th of August, the swell drops to almost nothing – 0.7ft to 2ft – with onshore wind. The combined energy dips into the single digits and low teens. There is absolutely no surfable recommendation here. This is a common pattern for this area when the consistency is listed as "inconsistent," and unfortunately, this is one of those blank runs.

The forecast starts to look a little more interesting around the 17th of August, but it's still not good. The swell picks up slightly, but the wind is stuck in a cross-onshore pattern from the SE, just making a mess of things. By Tuesday the 18th of August, we see a 4ft swell from the east with a 9-second period, and the combined energy jumps to 297 (moderate). However, it's coming with a fresh 19 mph cross-onshore wind, making it choppy and lumpy. That's a no-go for a reef break. The energy peaks at 473 on Wednesday the 19th with 4ft swell, but again, the wind is onshore and the forecast is for rain showers and even a risk of thunderstorms. The setup is more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing with that much wind and messy conditions.

The final stretch from Thursday the 20th to Sunday the 23rd of August sees the swell backing off again, dropping back to 2ft and 1ft, with the wind staying onshore. It's a flat finish to a poor outlook.

To be honest, there are no standouts here. The best chance for a wave is the 18th and 19th, but the wind is killing it. If you're desperate, you could look at the clean, cross-offshore mornings from the 11th to the 12th, but you'd be surfing ankle-biters. Better to wait for the next system.

Rusty.

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