Freshwater Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you—this outlook for Freshwater Bay is a rough one. For the next 16 days, there isn’t a single window where I’d tell you to grab your board with real confidence. We’ve got a long, frustrating stretch of poor conditions, and you’re going to have to be patient or find something else to do.

The first few days, starting Wednesday the 26th, are a total write-off. We’re talking tiny, weak surf with poor conditions. The swell energy is basically non-existent, sitting at just 4. The wind is messy, and it’s just not worth getting wet.

Thursday the 27th and Friday the 28th stay bad. The swell picks up a bit to around 3ft, but it’s short-period slop, and the wind is cross-shore and choppy. The energy values climb to 55 and then 40, but that’s still weak and unorganized. You’re just getting knocked around for nothing.

Then on Saturday the 29th, things get serious, but not in a good way. The swell jumps to 7ft in the morning and 8ft in the afternoon, with the combined energy jumping to 398 and then 645 – that’s strong energy. But it’s a complete mess. Strong cross-onshore winds, rain, and lumpy, messy surf. Unless you’re an expert looking for a beating, and even then, it’s not worth it. This is more like kite-surfing conditions than anything for a paddle board.

Sunday the 30th has a pulse of longer-period swell, hitting 10 seconds, but the wind is still onshore and lumpy. There’s a moment in the afternoon where it drops, but it’s still poor.

Finally, on Monday the 31st, we get a slight reprieve. The wind shifts to a cross-offshore breeze, and the surf cleans up. The swell is 6ft with a 9-second period, and the energy is moderate at 435. The comment even says it’s clean, but it’s still rated as marginal with questionable tide conditions. It’s the closest thing we get to a surfable wave in the whole window, but it’s not a standout.

After that, it’s back to mediocrity. Tuesday the 1st has some size but the wind messes it up. From Wednesday the 2nd of September through to Sunday the 6th, the swell fades away again to almost nothing. There’s a stretch there of several days with barely a ripple.

Then, on Monday the 7th, we get another injection of size. The swell comes back up to 6ft in the morning and 8ft in the afternoon, with strong energy at 261 and 549. But it’s the same story as before—onshore winds and poor surf conditions. It’s just a messy, powerful swell.

The last few days, the 8th, 9th, and 10th, fade out again with weak energy and poor conditions. There are some glassy mornings, but the swell is just too small to do anything.

So, what’s the bottom line? There are no good surf options in this 16-day window. It’s a blank run, plain and simple. The water temp is pretty average for this time of year, nothing weird there. But when the forecast is this consistently poor, it usually doesn’t stay that way for long. Forecasts can change. I’d keep an eye on that Monday the 31st window, and maybe the 7th of September, but don’t hold your breath. Stay patient, Rusty out.

Read more