Freshwater and Harbord Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s have a look at what’s coming up for the next couple of weeks here. Gotta be straight with you—this one’s a slow burner. We’re looking at a long stretch of tiny, weak surf to start, and honestly, not much to get excited about until we hit the final days of the forecast. The real standout is right at the end, but we’ll get to that.

We’re kicking off on Friday the 11th and the first few days are a write-off. Through the 11th, 12th, and into the 13th, we’ve got barely a ripple—swell heights around 0.6ft to 2ft, periods all over the shop, and the combined energy is mostly in the teens and twenties (20 to 81). That’s weak. The water’s sitting at 64°, which is about normal for this time of year, so no surprises there. But the surf? Not happening.

Sunday the 13th afternoon sees a slight bump to 4ft from the NE, but the period drops to a shocking 5 seconds—that’s windslop, not a real swell. Winds are fresh and cross, making it lumpy. Not worth paddling out.

Monday the 14th morning actually has the first hint of something surfable. Swell is 4ft from the NE, period up to 6 seconds, and the energy is moderate (155). The wind is a light cross-off from the NNE, so it’s clean. But it’s still pretty ordinary—only a score of 1 out of 10. You could get a few grovelly ones at Freshwater if you’re desperate, but it’s not good.

Then we go quiet again. From Monday afternoon right through to Thursday the 17th, it’s back to tiny waves and mostly onshore or cross winds. Energy drops to single digits and teens. Nothing doing.

Friday the 18th morning is the next flicker of hope. Swell from the SSE at 4ft, period 9 seconds, and the combined energy jumps to 273—that’s moderate. The wind is light and cross-off from the NNW, so the surf should be clean. Still, it’s only rated as “surfable but very ordinary.” Not a standout, but the best we’ve seen in a week.

From there, it’s another long flat spell. Saturday the 19th through Thursday the 24th are all tiny, weak, and mostly messy. Swell heights bounce between 0.6ft and 4ft, but the energy is low, and winds are often cross or onshore. The 24th does see a jump in height—6ft then 8ft from the E—but it’s cross-on with 16 mph winds and very choppy. That’s a messy, blown-out mess, and the combined energy is strong (302 and 689), but it’s not for paddle surfing.

Now here’s the one you’ve been waiting for. Friday the 25th morning is the standout. Swell from the ENE at 7ft, period 8 seconds, and the combined energy is a solid 522 (strong). But the real kicker? The wind is dead calm—glass—and it’s clean as a whistle. This is the best on offer across the whole period. The water temp is still around average for the time of year. It’s a bit of a beast for beginners at over 7ft, so this is one for the experienced crew. At Freshwater, with the ENE swell direction matching the optimum, you should get some decent waves. Expect good surf conditions. The afternoon gets a bit wonky with a cross wind and 10ft swell—too big for most and choppy.

Saturday the 26th drops off again: 7ft in the morning with rain and a cross-on breeze, energy still high (961) but messy. The afternoon is 6ft and cross, not great.

So to sum it up: you’ve got a long gap of tiny, poor surf from the 11th right through to the 18th, with only a brief, average session on the 14th and a slightly better one on the 18th morning. Then another flat spell until the 24th. The only true standout is Friday the 25th morning—clean, glassy, solid 7ft ENE swell. That’s the one to circle. The rest? Not worth getting out of bed for.

Rusty

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