Gantheaume Point (Broome) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you—this 16-day stretch for the region is about as flat as a millpond. We’ve got a long run of poor surf conditions ahead, so grab a coffee and let’s talk it through.

The first week is a write-off. From Friday the 31st through to Thursday the 6th, we’re looking at tiny, short-period dribble. The energy is weak, with combined swell energy values barely reaching double digits (2 to 5). The swell direction is all over the shop, coming from the northwest and west, but it’s not doing anything for us. Friday afternoon the 31st has a mere 1ft of 2-second wind chop with a moderate onshore breeze, and it doesn’t get any better. Each morning offers a clean surface with light cross-offshore winds, but there’s just nothing to push through. A few mornings see a 0.3ft westerly pulse with a 12-13 second period, which sounds fancier than it is—it’s barely a ripple.

We do get a small nudging around the 6th and 7th, where the swell ticks up to 2ft, but the period drops to a dismal 2-3 seconds. That’s just wind slop, not surf. The water is a frigid 70°, which is a massive 5° colder than normal for this time of year—that’s not just a chilly morning, that’s a full-on winter wetsuit, hood, and booties kind of deal. It’s a notable shift from the long-term average.

Now, let’s cut to the chase. The only real “standout” in this whole window—and I use that term loosely—is Saturday the 15th. Early that morning, we finally see a pulse of proper groundswell. It’s still small, only 0.3ft, but the period is a whopping 21 seconds. That’s very long-period energy, the kind that travels from a distant storm. Combined energy is 17, still weak in the grand scheme, but it’s the most interesting thing we’ve seen all fortnight. The wind is light offshore from the southeast, leaving the surface glassy and clean.

The catch? This is Gantheaume Point (Broome). It’s a beach and point setup that rarely breaks, and this is one of those rare times. It’s exposed to the west-northwest, and while this long-period westerly swell is pointed in the right direction, a 21-second swell at a beach break can break too straight and close out. It’s far better suited to a point or reef, but if it lines up, it could offer a few clean, long-period waves for the more patient surfer. The afternoon deteriorates as the wind swings southwest and picks up to 20 km/h (12 mph), making it cross-shore and choppy.

Before that, the week leading up to it is mostly forgettable. From the 8th to the 14th, we get a few pulses of 1ft to 2ft, but the period is short and junky. Friday the 7th afternoon brings 2ft of southwest wind swell, but a 25 km/h (16 mph) cross-onshore wind makes it messy. The mornings of the 9th, 10th, and 11th do have fresh offshore winds, but the swell is too weak and small to get excited about. It’s a long stretch of nothing, broken only by that one promising, but uncertain, morning on the 15th.

So, bottom line: don’t get your hopes up. This region is going through a dry spell. If you’re desperate, that Saturday the 15th morning is your best—and really only—chance for a few clean, long-period waves. But don’t be surprised if it ends up as flat as the rest. Forecasts can change, but this one looks locked in for a while.

Rusty.

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