Fitzroy Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's cookin' for the next couple of weeks.

First off, the honest truth: we've got a serious case of the uglies for the first week or more. The wind is just relentless, mostly a fresh cross or cross-onshore breeze that's going to leave things lumpy and choppy. The swell is pumping, no doubt about it – we're talking strong to very strong wave energy, but it's all for nothing with this wind. There's a gap of several days with no real recommendations, so don't bother getting your hopes up early.

Let's talk specifics. Starting Sunday morning the 30th of August at Fitzroy Beach, we've got a 7 ft WSW swell, but it's coming with a 19 mph cross wind. The water temp is about average for this time of year, nothing unusual to report. The energy is moderate, but the conditions are just poor. This theme carries through the week – Monday the 31st gets worse, with the swell jumping to 13 ft and the wind staying strong and cross-onshore. The wave energy is through the roof on Monday afternoon, but it's a complete mess. The period gets up to 14 seconds, which would normally be a beautiful groundswell, but with that wind, it's a write-off for surfing.

Tuesday the 1st of September is a bit of a tease. The morning is still poor, but by the afternoon, the wind and tide are favorable, and the swell is a solid 13 ft from the WSW. The problem? It's predicted to be too big for this break. That's a 13 ft wave with strong energy – that's expert territory only, and even then, the wind is still fresh and cross-shore, making it lumpy. Not a day for the faint of heart or for anyone without serious experience.

Wednesday the 2nd and Thursday the 3rd are more of the same – moderate to fresh cross-onshore winds, big swell, poor quality. Thursday afternoon gets a marginal nod with 8 ft from the W and onshore wind, but it's just not worth it.

Friday the 4th of September through to Monday the 8th of September is a long stretch of poor conditions. The swell stays big, often over 8 ft, and the wind just won't let up. Saturday the 6th of September afternoon sees a 7 ft swell but with a 22 mph cross-onshore wind from the NNE – that's a kite-surfing wind if I've ever seen one. The setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing on that day.

Now, we finally get a tiny glimmer of hope. Saturday the 12th of September morning shows a slight improvement: a 7 ft WSW swell with a cross-offshore wind. It's still marginal, but the wind description says "clean". The period is a solid 13 seconds. That afternoon gets even better – the wind drops to a light 6 mph cross breeze, the swell is 8 ft from the W, and it's the cleanest window we've seen all forecast. This is the standout, the one to circle on your calendar. It's not perfect, but after all that wind, it'll feel like a gift.

The last few days, Sunday the 13th and Monday the 14th of September, drop off again. The swell drops to 4 ft with a fresh cross-onshore wind, and the energy is weak. It's back to poor conditions.

So, to sum it up: don't bother for the first week and a half. The one bright spot is the afternoon of Saturday the 12th of September. It's not a world-class day, but with light winds and a clean 8 ft W swell, it's your best bet. Expect crowds to be possible, as it's often a popular spot. The swell is moderate in size, so it's good for most intermediates, but keep an eye on the tide. It's a long way out, so treat it as promising but not locked in.

Rusty.

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