Fare Left Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what Fare Left's got cooking for us over the next couple of weeks.

This is a classic story for this advanced reef break: plenty of swell on the way, but the wind is going to be the main character for a while. The water's sitting at a warm 80°, which is bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

Right out of the gate, we're looking at a weekend (August 8th and 9th) that's a write-off for quality surf. There's plenty of size – we're talking 8 ft to 10 ft of SSW groundswell with a long 14 to 16-second period, and the wave energy is through the roof (2,594 to 5,441). But the wind is a howling cross-offshore from the SSE at 25 mph, making it just too blown out to be any fun. It’s a tough paddle and the conditions just aren't there.

The start of the week (August 11th and 12th) doesn't get much better. The wind stays strong, and the swell drops off a bit. Wednesday the 12th sees a shift to an offshore wind from the ESE at 25 mph. The swell is 5 ft to 7 ft with a long 14-16 second period (1,482 to 2,062 energy). It will be clean and lined up, but it’s going to be a battle to get out there, and only for the fittest and most experienced.

Now, Thursday the 13th of August is where it starts to get interesting. We've got a 6 ft SSW groundswell (1,288 energy) and the wind is forecast to be a light 6 mph NE cross-offshore. This is the first real window for clean, quality waves at Fare Left. It’s still an advanced wave, but for the crew that knows this break, this morning session is the standout of the first week.

Things go quiet for a stretch from the 14th through the 18th. The swell drops right off, with waves down to 2 ft to 3 ft for most of that period. There's a brief spike on Sunday the 16th with a 6 ft S swell and offshore wind, but the energy is moderate (1,067) and it's a long way out.

Then we hit the real gold. Look at the end of the forecast, around Friday the 21st of August. We start to see a new, solid pulse of SSW swell building to 10 ft (3,370 energy). That's a big, powerful groundswell with a 14-second period. The wind is a moderate cross-offshore from the ESE at 12 mph, which is manageable and will keep the faces clean. This is a big step up in quality.

But the absolute standout is Saturday, August 22nd. We're looking at a solid 10 ft of SSW groundswell, the wave energy is massive at 4,201, and the wind goes light and gentle offshore from the ESE at just 9 mph. This is going to be a world-class day at Fare Left for those who can handle it. The crowd factor is listed as "sometimes," so it won't be empty, but it won't be a circus either.

And if you can wait even longer, Sunday the 23rd of August looks even bigger. The swell hits 12 ft from the SSW with a 15-second period and 5,673 energy. The wind stays light and clean. This is only for the experts – at that size, it's a heavy, critical wave. For the rest of us, it’s a day to sit on the cliff and watch.

So, to sum it up: don't bother with the first week unless you're a masochist. The real action, the true standouts, are the mornings of Saturday, August 22nd and Sunday, August 23rd. That's the best on offer.

Rusty.

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