Freshwater West Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get stuck into the outlook for Freshwater West.

To be honest, it’s a bit of a mixed bag for the next 16 days. We’re looking at a long stretch of onshore winds and messy conditions making it tough to find a clean wave. The pattern is dominated by cross-onshore winds, often strong, which will keep the surface lumpy and choppy for most of the period. The water temperature is 64° at the start, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year.

We start off with a bit of swell on Wednesday the 9th, but it’s a write-off with a cross-shore wind and weak, short-period swell. The wait continues through the rest of the week. Thursday and Friday the 10th and 11th see the swell building, but the wind is howling onshore, trashing what could be decent waves. Saturday the 12th is more of the same: strong onshore wind and a lumpy 7 ft swell. Not for the faint-hearted or the beginners.

Sunday the 13th is the first real glimmer of hope. The morning sees a light cross-shore breeze and a 5 ft swell from the WSW with a period of 10 seconds, giving it some shape. The combined energy notes 393 (moderate), and for a few hours, the surf will be workable, but it’s only marginal. It’s the best we’ve seen, but it’s not a standout.

The real standout for the whole outlook is Tuesday the 15th afternoon. The wind swings light and cross-offshore, the sea state goes clean, and we get a 5 ft swell from the SSW. The period is short at 6 seconds, so it won’t be a grunty wave, but it’ll be the cleanest surf of the whole period. This is your window if you can get out. The break is a beach and reef setup, consistent, and for this session, the light offshore wind will make it surprisingly good. Expect crowds to be possible.

Wednesday the 16th morning brings a big pulse of swell – 10 ft from the W, with a combined energy of 1188 (strong). The wind is a strong cross-offshore, which will keep it clean, but this is a serious amount of water. The period is only 8 seconds, so it’s a windswell, and the size makes it one for experts only. The afternoon drops to 8 ft, still clean, but the wind is still strong. Not a beginner’s day.

After that, the swell fades out. Thursday the 17th through to the end of the 16 days sees small, weak swell and onshore winds. The morning of Friday the 18th is worth a mention: glassy conditions with a tiny 2 ft swell, but it’s surfable, just ordinary. Later, on Monday the 21st, we get a cross-offshore breeze and a clean 2 ft swell, but again, it’s tiny. The rest of the final week is a flat, choppy mess.

So, if you’re looking for the best on offer, it’s the afternoon of Tuesday the 15th. Clean, light winds, and a decent waist-to-chest high swell. For the big dogs, the morning of Wednesday the 16th is a heavy, expert-only session. The rest? You’ll be waiting for a better forecast.

Rusty.

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