FA's Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, Rusty here. Look, I've got to be straight with you – the next 16 days at FA's are looking pretty grim. There's no real swell on the cards, and the forecast is basically a long stretch of tiny, weak waves with poor conditions. You're looking at a gap of about 16 days where there's hardly anything worth paddling out for.

Let's start with the overall picture. The swell is tiny, rarely getting above 2 feet, and the period is short, hanging around 5 to 11 seconds. The combined energy is weak, barely cracking 100 on the energy scale. For most of this run, the wind is a mess – cross-onshore, onshore, or just plain wrong for getting clean waves. There are a few glassy mornings, but the swell is so small it's barely surfable.

The first few days, from Wednesday the 12th to Sunday the 16th, it's a write-off. We're talking 1 foot to 2 feet of slop, mostly from the SE or ESE with a short period around 6 to 8 seconds. The wind is light but often cross-onshore, ruining any chance of a clean wave. The energy is pathetic, between 12 and 64. You'd be better off staying in bed.

There's a slight glimmer on Tuesday the 18th morning. The wind goes glassy from the west, and the swell is a tiny 2 feet from the ESE with an 8-second period. The energy is still weak at 54. The report says "surfable waves but very ordinary conditions," which is about as optimistic as it gets. It's a beginner-level wave, but it's better than nothing.

The closest thing to a standout in this whole forecast is Wednesday the 19th morning. The swell picks up to 3 feet from the ESE, with a period of 11 seconds. That's a longer period, which usually means more push and shape, but it's still small. The energy jumps to 156 – moderate, finally. The wind is glassy from the NNW, so it'll be clean. This is the best of a bad lot, but it's still a tiny wave, good for beginners or a longboard. Don't expect any barrels.

After that, it's back to the doldrums. From Thursday the 20th right through to Thursday the 27th, it's small, weak, and windy. The swell sits between 1 foot and 2 feet, the period drops back to 5 to 10 seconds, and the energy is mostly weak. The wind is often onshore or cross-onshore, making it choppy and messy. There are a couple of cross-offshore mornings on the 25th and 26th, but the swell is so small (1 foot to 2 feet) it's barely worth mentioning.

The water temp is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

Honestly, if you're desperate for a paddle, keep an eye on Wednesday the 19th morning. It's the only time the stars align even a little bit. Otherwise, this is a classic flat spell for FA's. It's a beach and reef setup, and with the small, weak swell and unfavourable winds, it's not even worth thinking about the kite gear. Hang tight, and don't sell your board just yet. Forecasts can change.

Rusty.

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