Freshwater and Harbord Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, checking in on the local stretch at Freshwater and Harbord. We’re in for a pretty lean run, so don’t get your hopes up just yet. Water temp is sitting at about 64°, which is pretty average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

Right now, Saturday the 12th is flat as a tack. You’ve got barely a ripple at 0.7 ft with glassy conditions, but honestly, it’s more of a lake than the ocean. The combined energy is only 19 (very weak), so leave the boards at home.

Sunday the 13th picks up a tiny bit – we’re looking at 2 ft in the morning from the NE, but the period is a short 5 seconds, so no power behind it. Wind is light and cross-offshore, so it’ll be clean, but still not worth paddling out. Afternoon gets a bit more height at 4 ft, but it gets messy with 19 mph cross-shore winds.

Monday the 14th is a tough one. Morning shows 4 ft with a 6-second period and a little more energy (153 – moderate), but winds are cross-off and it’s only rated as surfable but very ordinary. Afternoon sees 5 ft but the period drops to 5 seconds and you’ve got light rain and cross-off winds – still not good. The combined energy is 131, but the quality just isn’t there.

Tuesday morning the 15th has 3 ft from the NE, but cross-on winds and a 7-second period make it choppy. The energy is 104 (moderate), but it’s not what you’d call inviting.

From Wednesday the 16th through to the end of the month, it’s mostly cross-on winds, short period slop, and low energy. There’s a couple of mornings – like Friday the 18th and Saturday the 19th – that pop up with 3 ft and a bit more period (7-11 seconds) and clean conditions, with energy hitting 173 and 242 (moderate to strong), but even those are rated as “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions.” The wind is offshore on Saturday the 19th morning, which is rare, so you might get a few fun ones if you’re desperate, but it’s hardly a standout.

Late in the window, Tuesday the 22nd sees the biggest swell of the period – 5 ft to 6 ft from the SSE with 8-9 second period and energy up to 481 (strong). But the winds are cross-on and choppy, and the break here is sheltered from that direction, so it’s likely closing out or messy. The 24th also has 6 ft but again, cross-on wind and choppy.

Honestly, there are no true standouts here. The best bet might be the Saturday 19th morning at Freshwater – 3 ft from the east with an 11-second period (longer period groundswell), light offshore wind, and clean conditions. The energy is 242, so there’s some punch, and longer period means better shape and easier paddling between sets. But this spot is sheltered and usually prefers ENE swell, so it might not hit the banks perfectly. Since it’s a consistent beginner spot, crowds are often around, so you’ll have company.

Otherwise, it’s a long dry spell with lots of poor-to-ordinary days. If you’re into kite surfing, some of those afternoons with 12-19 mph cross-shore winds and decent chop might be more your thing, but for paddle surfing, this is a tough outlook.

Keep an eye on the forecasts – it tends not to stay this poor for long.

Rusty.

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