Fare Left Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s on the cards for the next stretch.

Alright, straight up – the first few days are a bit of a write-off for anything decent. The surf is there, but it’s angry. We’ve got a solid groundswell pumping in from the SSW, but that wind is howling, and it’s making things messy and hard to handle. The best of the window, the real standout, is going to be Thursday the 13th of August. That’s your day.

Let’s break it down.

We’re looking at Fare Left (a reef break, advanced only). The first real action comes Sunday the 9th of August, but it’s a tough one. We’ve got a big 10 ft SSW groundswell with a very long 16-second period, and the combined wave energy is a massive 5501 (strong to very strong). The problem is that howling 28 mph SE wind is cross-off, and while it keeps the surface clean, the combination of size and wind makes it a real battle. Monday the 10th and Tuesday the 11th are similar stories – oversized swell, but the wind is just too strong, making it marginal at best. Wednesday the 12th sees the wind flick offshore, but we’re still looking at 5 ft to 7 ft of SSW swell, with strong energy (1573 to 2237). The comment says it’s “hard to paddle into,” so it’s for the committed crew only.

Now, here’s the gem. Thursday the 13th of August. The morning sees a 6 ft SSW swell, still a solid 14-second period, dropping to 6 ft in the afternoon. The wind goes light: 12 mph from the east in the morning (moderate offshore), and then a glassy 9 mph from the ESE in the afternoon (gentle offshore). The conditions are described as “excellent surf for experienced surfers” with a score that backs it up. The combined energy is moderate (1408 then 1172), but the quality is there. The water temp is a warm 80°F, which is about average for the time of year – no complaints there. This is the best on offer, and it’s a proper window.

After that, the swell drops off. Friday the 14th and Saturday the 15th are tiny, with 4 ft and then 3 ft SSW swell, and the wind is a bit messy cross-off. Not worth getting excited about. Sunday the 16th and Monday the 17th are a bit better, with 3 ft to 5 ft of S swell, and the wind goes offshore again, but it’s still a fresh breeze, so it’s not the same quality as Thursday.

There’s a weird little pulse on Tuesday the 18th of August. The swell is only 3 ft, but it’s a very long 18-second period SSW groundswell. The wind is light (6 mph N/NE), and the conditions are “clean.” The combined energy is moderate (779). It’s a small wave, but with that long period, it could be glassy and fun if you’ve got a log. Then Wednesday the 19th is a write-off – onshore wind from the WNW and poor conditions.

Look out towards the end of the window. From Thursday the 20th of August, we see another pulse of SSW swell building back up to 8 ft to 10 ft, with moderate to fresh cross-off winds. The combined energy gets back up to 2517 to 3155. It’s big, it’s clean, but that cross-off wind and the size (over 8 ft) means it’s strictly for experts again. Not a beginner’s day. The last few days, the 22nd and 23rd, see the swell ease back slightly, but still a solid size.

So, the clear standout is Thursday the 13th of August at Fare Left. That’s the one to circle on the calendar. The rest of the first week is either too big and windy, or too small. The second week has a big pulse of swell coming back, but it’s a wildcard with the wind. Keep an eye on it.

Rusty.

Read more