Estaleiro Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Looking at the forecast for Estaleiro Reef, it’s a mixed bag with a few windows of real promise, especially if you’re keen on a clean lineup. The first few days are small but tidy, then we get a cracker of a morning that stands out as the best of the run.

Alright, we kick off on Friday the 28th of August. The surf is small at 5ft from the ENE with a short 8-second period. The combined energy is moderate at 270. Winds are light and cross-off from the NNW, keeping it clean. It’s not epic, but it’s surfable for an intermediate. Saturday the 29th looks even better in the morning: the same 5ft ENE swell, but we get proper offshore wind from the WNW at only 3 mph. That’ll have it glassy and tidy. The energy is still moderate at 241. Come Saturday arvo, the wind swings onshore and it gets choppy, so get out early.

Sunday the 30th is a much smaller day with 3ft ENE swell, still moderate energy at 165. Morning is clean with light cross-off wind, but the wave quality drops to “very ordinary.” It’s a grovel.

Monday the 31st of August is the first standout. We’ve got 4ft from the E, with a better 9-second period, and the wind goes glassy in the morning. The combined energy bumps up to 268. That will be smooth, peeling waves at this reef — a genuine good session for intermediates. Afternoon stays clean with cross-off wind. The water temp is about average for this time of year, nothing unusual.

Tuesday the 1st of September is a write-off — small, onshore, and messy. By Wednesday the 2nd of September, the energy jumps with a 4ft SE swell but a long 12-second period, driving moderate energy up to 427. Glassy, calm wind in the morning makes this a real gem. That longer period will give better shape on this reef. A solid session if you can get out.

But the absolute best is Thursday the 3rd of September morning. The swell hits 5ft from the SSE, with a 10-second period and combined energy at 547 — that’s strong, meaty wave energy for this spot. Winds are light and cross-off from the W, keeping it clean and lined up. This is what you wait for. The size is pushing into the intermediate sweet spot. The swell direction matches the optimum ESE perfectly. This is the best on offer. Afternoon chops up, so make it a dawn mission.

From Friday the 4th onwards, it’s a long, quiet run. The swell drops to tiny 1ft on Friday and Saturday, with poor conditions and onshore winds. Sunday the 6th is small and ordinary. Then from Monday the 7th to Thursday the 10th of September it’s mostly poor, with cross-onshore wind and small, weak swell. The energy dips below 100 at times. A few sessions on Sunday the 6th are “surfable but ordinary” with 4ft ENE swell.

By Friday the 11th, a tiny 2ft groundswell from the ENE shows up with a 9-second period, with offshore wind in the morning — clean but small. And Saturday the 12th is a no-go: 5ft but from the E with a short 6-second period and a fresh cross-onshore wind at 18 mph, making it lumpy and ugly. That’s more of a kite day.

So, overall: get on Monday 31st morning, Wednesday 2nd morning, and absolutely don’t miss Thursday 3rd morning. After the first week it’s flat and messy for days on end. Forecasts can shift, but as it stands, that’s the pick.

Rusty.

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