Freshwater and Harbord Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, it’s Rusty.

Alright, let’s be straight with you. The next couple of weeks are a mixed bag. We’ve got some proper swell windows, but there’s also a lot of junk to wade through. The early part of the period is pretty average, so if you’re keen for a paddle, you’ll want to keep an eye on the back half of the forecast. The first real standout is a ways off, so don’t get too excited about the start of the week.

Looking at Sunday the 9th, we’ve got some surfable but very ordinary waves at Freshwater. We’re looking at a 3ft ENE swell with a 9-second period, and the combined energy is a weak 163. The morning has a gentle cross-offshore breeze which will keep it clean, but it’s not going to set the world on fire. The afternoon, the scores drop off, so if you’re out there, make it a morning session.

Monday the 10th sees a big jump in size, but the quality isn’t there. The morning brings a 8ft ENE swell with a 9-second period, and the energy is moderate at 950. There’s a fresh offshore wind, which sounds good, but the forecast flags it as marginal. It’s a lot of water moving around, and it might be a bit of a handful for the average punter. The afternoon gets stronger winds, hitting 45 km/h from the NW, making it hard to paddle into and hard to surf.

From Tuesday the 11th through to Friday the 14th, we’re in a real lull. Swell heights drop to under 3ft, and the energy readings are pathetic—anywhere from 17 to 106. There are a few clean windows in there, like Tuesday morning and Thursday morning, but with waves that small, you’re really just bobbing around. This is a stretch where the board stays in the car.

Saturday the 15th is a write-off with onshore winds and tiny, weak surf. Then Sunday the 16th brings a short-period 4ft E swell, with the energy at 124, but the wind is onshore and it’s messy. The pattern of poor quality continues into the next week. From Monday the 17th through Wednesday the 19th, we see a pulse of 5ft to 5ft ESE swells with short periods of 7-8 seconds. The energy gets up to 463 at times, but the wind is cross-onshore and it’s all choppy and messy. There’s a lot of water moving but it’s not lined up. On Tuesday the 18th it’s onshore, and the waves are lumpy and hard to read. This stretch is more interesting for the kite crew than us paddle surfers.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Thursday the 20th is our first real standout of the period. The morning is looking clean. We’ve got a 6ft E swell with an 8-second period, and the energy is moderate at 426. The wind is a light offshore from the WNW, which means clean, lined-up faces. It’s not huge, but it’s solid and shapely. This is the one to make a plan for. The afternoon, the wind swings around to the NE, making it cross-shore, so the morning session is the go.

Friday the 21st and Saturday the 22nd are back to poor conditions with onshore winds and choppy surf, so that window closes quickly.

Then we get to the real prize. Sunday the 23rd. The morning is glassy, with a 6ft E swell and a 12-second period. The energy is a strong 1062, and it’s going to be very good surf. This is a proper groundswell, and it’s going to have some punch. The long period means the sets will be well-spaced, and it’s going to peel better than the short-period junk we had earlier. This is the standout of the entire run—a good size, glassy conditions, and real power. The afternoon, the wind gets a bit cross-onshore and it chops up, so get out early.

Monday the 24th, the last day in the window, looks like another cracker. The morning is glassy again, with a 5ft E swell, a very long 12-second period, and a strong 1244 energy. It’s going to be clean and pushing. This is another morning session for sure.

So, to sum it up: there’s a lot of average stuff to start, but the 20th is a good, clean surf, and the 23rd and 24th are the standouts. Get your schedule sorted for those mornings, because that’s the best we’re going to get.

Rusty

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