Forster Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s be straight up: Forster Beach is copping a bit of a flat, messy stretch to kick things off. The first week is mostly a write-off with weak, short-period slop and poor winds, but there are a couple of half-decent windows if you’re patient. The bigger news is the second week, which actually serves up a couple of mornings that might just make the wait worthwhile.

Right now (Friday, August 21st morning) the water’s sitting at 66°F, bang on average for this time of year. The swell’s a pathetic 3 ft from the NE with a scrappy 6-second period – combined energy is only 62, which is real weak. It’s glassy though, so if you’re a beginner on a foamie you might get a few knee-high dribblers. That afternoon a cross-off wind keeps things clean, surfable but very ordinary. Saturday and Sunday are total duds – tiny, onshore, messy. We’re talking a few days of nothing worth paddling for.

Monday (24th) morning offers a marginal look: 4 ft S swell at 10 seconds, light cross-shore, combined energy 332 (moderate). It’s average. Tuesday is blown out by strong NE winds, with 6 ft of short-period windswell piling in (373 energy) – that’s more of a kite surfer’s session.

Now here’s the first proper standout – Wednesday, August 26th morning. Offshore WSW wind at 6 mph, 5 ft from the ENE with an 8-second period, combined energy 358 (moderate). It’s clean. Not a monster, but given the junk before it, this is the best we’ve seen. Forster Beach faces fairly exposed to the SE, but that ENE swell should wrap in okay. Crowds are often there, so expect company, but with clean conditions and a decent knee-to-waist-high wave, it’s worth a look for intermediate surfers. Not for beginners though – 5 ft is pushing it for learners.

Thursday (27th) has clean morning walls with a cross-off breeze, but it’s dropped to 3 ft – small and gutless. Skip it.

Saturday, August 29th morning is the next real highlight. Clear skies, light cross-off northerly, and 5 ft of NE swell at 6 seconds. Combined energy hits 466 (strong). Short period means it’s windswell, so it’ll be a bit lumpy and closey-outy, but there’s decent push. That afternoon goes glassy with 4 ft – worth a sneaky session if you’re keen.

Then we hit a run of clean offshore mornings from Monday, August 31st through Wednesday, September 2nd. Monday is the best of the lot: 6 ft from the ENE at 6 seconds, clean with WSW offshore wind at 12 mph. Combined energy 320 (moderate). That’s a solid waist-chest high wave, offshore groomed. Tuesday morning has good energy (200) but strong SSW cross-off winds and 4 ft – clean but smaller. Wednesday morning has a longer 10-second period from the ENE (309 energy) – more shape, lighter winds. Still clean.

After that it fades. Friday, September 4th afternoon offers 2 ft from the E at 11 seconds, offshore wind (108 energy) – tiny but long-period groundswell, which at a beach break can break too straight. Only worth it for a log.

So the two standouts: Wednesday, August 26th morning for the first real clean session, and Monday August 31st morning for the best combination of size, offshore wind, and consistency – that’s the one to circle. Saturday, August 29th morning is also in the mix for pure push. After that, the second week trails off into tiny leftovers.

No major surprises – Forster Beach is a beginner-friendly spot that needs a proper south or east groundswell to come alive. The early week is poor, the end of the first week into the start of the second week is where you’ll find your waves. Get on it.

Rusty.

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