Freshwater Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for the next couple of weeks.

We’re looking at a pretty bleak run for the most part here at Freshwater Bay (reef and point). The wind is mostly wrong, the swell is messy, and the scores are flat. The first recommendation I can actually talk about doesn’t show up until late in the game, but I’ll walk you through it.

It’s a long quiet stretch. From Wednesday the 19th of August right through to the morning of Friday the 28th of August, there’s really nothing worth paddling out for. The wind is all over the shop – cross, cross-on, cross-off – and the few hints of swell are too small or too weak to do anything with. The combined wave energy is mostly below 100, which is basically just background noise. On Saturday the 22nd for a moment we get glassy conditions with a slight breeze from the south and 0.5m swell, but it’s from the east-northeast at only 4 seconds. That’s tiny, weak, and not going to wrap in properly. No go.

Then we start to see some life. On Friday morning the 28th of August, we finally get a bit of a pulse. The swell is 1.1m from the west-southwest at 5 seconds, with a light northwesterly cross-off breeze. The combined energy is 109, so it’s moderate but nothing special. The conditions are clean, but honestly the waves are very ordinary. It’s surfable, but only just. If you’re desperate, you could probably get a few limp ones. Not a standout.

The next real window comes up on Saturday the 29th of August. The morning is a write-off with heavy rain and a cross-on wind, but the afternoon looks a bit more promising. Swell is 1.7m from the southwest at 6 seconds, with a moderate westerly cross-off breeze. The combined energy is 245, so there’s moderate energy there. The conditions are clean, but the wave quality is marginal. It’s not great, but it’s the best we’ve seen. The swell direction is west-southwest, which is a bit off the optimum southwest direction for this spot. Still, it might be rideable for intermediates if you time it right.

Sunday the 30th of August sees the swell picking up a bit more. Morning is 1.6m from the west-southwest at 6 seconds, with a fresh northwesterly cross-off breeze. The energy is 201, moderate. The afternoon bumps up to 2.0m from the same direction, with a moderate northwesterly cross-off and clean conditions. Energy jumps to 339. This is the most size we’ve had, but it’s still a short-period swell, so it’ll be a bit bumpy and won’t have that lovely groundswell shape. The wind is decent though, so it’s worth a look for anyone who doesn’t mind a bit of a mess.

Now, Monday the 31st of August is the first real standout we’ve had, but it’s all the way at the end of the forecast. The morning brings 2.4m from the west-southwest at 7 seconds, with a moderate west-northwesterly cross-off breeze. The combined energy is 571 – that’s strong energy. The conditions are clean, but the wave quality is still flagged as marginal. The swell is getting a bit big for beginners, and the short period means it’ll be a bit lumpy. Still, for the experienced crew, this could be the best session of the run. The wind is clean, and the size is there.

Then Tuesday the 1st of September is the top pick. The morning session has 2.0m from the west-southwest at 10 seconds, with a moderate west-northwesterly cross-off. The combined energy hits 731 – that’s strong energy. The period is getting longer, which means better shaped waves and more energy per wave. The direction is still a bit off the optimum southwest, but with a longer period and clean wind, Freshwater Bay could actually produce some decent lines. The water temperature is about average for this time of year. This is the best wave on offer across the whole outlook. The afternoon drops off, but the morning window is the one to target.

After that, Wednesday the 2nd and Thursday the 3rd of September turn ugly again with strong southerly winds and messy conditions. The run is over.

So, to wrap it up: the best session is the morning of Tuesday the 1st of September. That’s the one to circle. The 31st of August is also a solid option if you’re keen for bigger, messier waves. Everything else is a bust or just barely surfable. It’s a long wait, but there’s a little nugget at the end.

Rusty, signing off.

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