Freshwater east Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ at Freshwater east. I gotta be straight with you – this stretch of sand and reef is a very sheltered little nook, and it rarely breaks at the best of times. The next 16 days are a real mixed bag, and honestly, it’s a long wait for anything that’ll get the heart racing.

We kick off on Tuesday, 1st September, and it’s a flat start. The wind is blowin’ cross-off, but the swell is basically non-existent with a combined energy of just 153 (weak). Wednesday the 2nd has a bit more size, with a 6ft swell from the SW, but it’s a short-period 7 second wind swell, and the onshore breeze has it all messy. The energy is moderate (393), but the conditions are poor. Thursday and Friday the 3rd and 4th hold onto some similar, lumpy SW swell in the 5ft to 6ft range, with moderate energy (284 to 365). The wind does turn offshore on Friday, which is a plus, but the wave quality is still described as poor. It’s just not cooperating.

There’s a bit of a gap here from the 5th to the 7th where the swell drops right off – tiny 2ft to 3ft waves with weak energy. You’d be lucky to get a ride.

Now, the first real glimmer comes on Monday the 7th. We’ve got a 3ft to 4ft groundswell rolling in from the W, with a 12-second period on the morning and 11-second in the arvo. The combined energy jumps to 292 on Monday morning and 399 on Monday arvo. The wind is offshore and light – a light breeze, so it’s clean. This is the best of the early run. The waves are small, but long-period, and with that offshore wind, it’ll be lined up. It’s a beginner-friendly size, so it’s a good chance for a longboard or a funboard.

The 8th of September is a write-off with zero energy, then the 9th brings a howling near gale from the SSW. Swell hits 8ft from the W, but with that wind, it’s a total mess. Raw energy is 625 (strong), but you couldn’t paddle out. Skip it.

The second week kicks off with a bit of a promise. Thursday the 10th has clean, offshore winds, but the swell is tiny – 2ft to 3ft from the W and SW. Not enough to get excited about, energy is weak (89-96).

The standout window is Friday the 11th and Saturday the 12th. On Friday morning, the 11th, we get a glassy start with a 7ft swell from the WSW. The wind is dead calm – glassy conditions. The combined energy is 487 (moderate). The afternoon gets even better: 8ft from the WSW, with a light offshore breeze and a clean wave face. The energy jumps to 703 (strong). This is solid, pushy size for a beach and reef setup. It’s a bit punchy for beginners at that size, but it’s the best of the whole forecast. The direction is a match for the optimum SW swell direction. This is the one to circle.

Saturday the 12th follows up with a 3ft to 4ft swell from the WSW, but the wind is cross-shore in the morning, turning glassy in the afternoon. The energy is weak (127 to 207), so it’s a smaller, cleaner session after the big day.

The rest of the period from the 13th to the 16th is a write-off. The swell drops to 2ft to 4ft, and the wind is onshore from the east. The water temp is about average for the time of year, so no wetsuit surprises.

Overall, it’s a long wait for the real action. The 11th of September is the standout. The 7th is the only other decent option in the first week, but it’s small. Most of the time, this spot is a dud in the forecast window. But when that 8ft, glassy set up on the 11th, it’ll be worth the wait.

Rusty.

Read more