4 Mile Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto, grab a coffee and settle in, because I’ve been staring at the charts for 4 Mile and I gotta be straight with you – it’s been a tough run, and it’s gonna stay tough for a while. There’s a big gap of nothing special at the start here.

We’re looking at a solid two-week window where the conditions just aren’t coming together for a proper paddle session. From Friday the 21st right through to the end of August, the wind is a constant problem. It’s a cross-shore breeze, swinging from WNW to NW, and it’s got a real bite to it – 9 to 19 mph most days. That’s kicking up a lumpy, cross-chop on the surface. Even when the swell does show up, the surface is just too messy. The energy is weak to moderate at first, with readings around 274 to 393 (moderate energy), so it’s not like there’s no water moving, but the quality is shot. You’d be fighting the wind more than the wave.

The first real flicker of something half-decent, and I mean *half-decent*, shows up on Sunday the 23rd of August morning. The forecast shows a 4 ft NW swell with a short period of 7 seconds, but the wind is still cross. The score is a 1 out of 10 – marginal at best. It’s not worth the drive. The same story repeats for days. Monday the 24th, Tuesday the 25th, Wednesday the 26th – all cross-shore winds, all poor surf conditions. The swell energy climbs a bit, hitting 720 on the Wednesday afternoon (moderate to strong), but the wind kills it.

The situation really starts to change in the second week, but it’s still not a green light. Around Thursday the 3rd of September, the swell really cranks up. We’re looking at an 8 ft NW swell on the Thursday morning, with a period of 10 seconds. That’s a lot of water moving – the energy reading is a massive 2618 (strong energy). But here’s the catch: that’s too big for beginners, and it’s borderline for anyone but experts. Plus, the wind is still a moderate cross-shore, so the surface won’t be glassy. It’s a powerful, lumpy mess. The 4 Mile is a point break, and it’s exposed to the west, so a NW swell is okay, but it’s not the optimum direction. The crowd profile says “often” busy, so you’d have company.

The most promising window, if you can call it that, is around Friday the 4th of September. The morning shows a 7 ft WNW swell (10 seconds) with a gentle cross-shore breeze. The score is a 2 out of 10. It’s still marginal, but the wind is lighter. The afternoon jumps to an 8 ft NW swell with a 10-second period and a moderate breeze. The energy is 2431 (strong). If you are an expert, and you can handle the wind, that afternoon might offer a few powerful, bowling sections. But for the average punter, it’s a pass.

Honestly, the whole 16-day window is a write-off for clean, quality surfing. The wind is the enemy. If you’re a kitesurfer, the strong cross-shore winds and decent swell on the 30th of August and 4th of September might look tasty. But for a paddle surfer? This is a two-week gap with nothing to recommend. The break is fairly consistent, but when the conditions are this wrong, it doesn’t matter. The water temperature is about average for this time of year, so no drama there.

Stay patient, mate. The forecast can change.

Rusty

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