Fare Left Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what we’ve got on the board for Fare Left, the only spot that’s really on the menu. It’s looking like a tale of two halves, with some really promising sessions for the crew who can handle a proper reef break, but you’ll have to be patient through a patchy first week.

The water is sitting at 80° and that’s about normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.

We kick off proper on Thursday the 13th of August. Straight out of the gate, the afternoon delivers a clean 5ft swell from the SSW, period around 14 seconds. The wind is a gentle offshore from the ESE, keeping things glassy and lined up. There’s a heap of energy behind it (1045 combined energy). This is proper groundswell. For the advanced crew, this is prime time. It’s not a beginner wave at this size, and being a reef, you’ll want your wits about you. The swell direction is bang on the optimum, so expect clean, grinding lines.

Friday the 14th and Saturday the 15th are a write-off. We drop down to smaller, messier swell with cross-off winds picking up to 19 mph. Surf quality is poor, and the scores reflect that. Don’t bother paddling out. The run of poor conditions stretches through the weekend. Sunday the 16th and Monday the 17th see a slight pulse of energy, but the wind, while offshore, is fresh and strong. The waves are clean but the size is marginal and the conditions are still a chore.

Tuesday the 18th brings a shift. The wind turns cross-shore from the north, and the swell ticks up to 4ft from the SSE with a 14-second period. The energy jumps to 1164. It’s still a marginal call, but there’s more push in the water. The wind is light, so it might be the best of a struggling bunch for the early week.

Now here’s where it gets interesting. Thursday the 20th of August. The afternoon delivers a solid 7ft from the SSW, with 14-second periods and a massive 1916 combined energy. The wind is cross-off from the SE, keeping it clean. This is a serious step up. It’s a standout for the more experienced surfer. By Friday the 21st, the swell peaks around 8ft in the morning, and Saturday the 22nd holds steady at 7ft. The wind stays cross-off, so it’s rideable, but you’re looking at some hefty, powerful walls. Over 8ft is expert-only, so keep that in mind.

The true highlight, the one you want to circle, is Sunday the 23rd of August. The morning session is superb. We’ve got a 8ft SSW groundswell with a 15-second period, combined energy of 3204. The wind is a gentle offshore from the east. The conditions are excellent for advanced surfers. The swell direction and the optimum line up. This is a beast of a day. The afternoon stays solid at 8ft with clean cross-off breeze.

Monday the 24th of August, the wind swings to a strong cross-shore and the quality drops off. The swell is still solid, but the surface gets lumpy. Tuesday the 25th cleans back up with cross-off winds easing slightly, the swell around 6ft and 6ft. Good, not great.

The last week of August and into the beginning of September sees the swell sticking around but the quality is mixed. The wind is often fresh or strong cross-off, keeping the surface clean, but the swell periods shorten and direction shifts a bit. By Wednesday the 27th, the period drops to a short 7 seconds. That’s wind swell, not the good stuff. It’ll be choppy and weak at best through to Friday the 28th.

The Bottom Line: If you’re an experienced surfer who can handle a reef and wants the best of the best, the true standout is the morning of Sunday the 23rd of August. It’s big, it’s clean, and it’s got all the energy you could want. The first week is mostly a dud. Get out there for the 23rd. The crowds are *sometimes* an issue at Fare Left, but on a day that good, it might be worth the company.

Rusty.

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