Freshwater and Harbord Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for our stretch of coast.

Truth be told, we’re looking at a pretty quiet start and a long, frustrating run of nothing much. The first real chance of anything decent is still a week away, on Tuesday the 25th of August, and even that is a bit of a mixed bag. Before that, from Wednesday the 19th right through to Monday the 24th, it’s mostly small, weak, and messy. We’re talking tiny waves with poor conditions – lots of ordinary surf and not worth paddling out for.

Now, on Tuesday the 25th, things finally wake up a bit. The morning sees a pulse of 6ft from the NE, pushing combined wave energy up to a solidly moderate 546, but it’s still not great for quality, with messy cross-off winds. That afternoon, however, the wind goes dead calm – glassy – and the swell drops to 4ft from the NE. That afternoon window is your only real chance to get something clean and rideable, but it’s still just ordinary surf.

Later in the week, there’s a bit more promise. On Friday the 28th, we get a clean 5ft SSE groundswell with a 9-second period. Both morning and afternoon have light or glassy winds, making for clean conditions. Wave energy is moderate (361 to 384). It’s not a standout power day, but given the dry spell, it’s the best on offer.

The real standout, if you’ve got patience, lands on Tuesday the 1st of September. We’re looking at a 5ft SE groundswell with a 12-second period – that’s proper long-period groundswell energy, delivering a strong 728 in combined wave energy. The sets will have some real punch. Freshwater will pick this up nicely. That swell direction (SE) is a solid match for the break’s optimum ENE. The morning has light onshore winds and rain showers, so it’s not perfect, but the size and power make it the most interesting surf of the whole 16-day window. Just be aware that longer-period stuff like this can throw closeouts at beach breaks, but given the size, it should offer some solid peaks for experienced surfers.

Water temperature is 63°, which is about 2° cooler than average for this time of year – nothing unusual, just your standard winter feel.

So, to wrap it up: don’t bother paddling out until Friday the 28th for a clean but average session. The real one to circle is Tuesday the 1st of September – that’s your best bet for some punchy, meaningful waves, even if the wind isn’t perfect. Keep an eye on it, but for the next week, save your energy.

– Rusty

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