Gordons Bay Harbour Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for Gordons Bay Harbour. It’s a reef setup, sheltered, and it’s inconsistent, so when it gets good, you’ve got to be on it. The water temp is sitting right around average for the time of year at 60°, so nothing unusual there.

The outlook kicks off on Tuesday the 4th of August, but honestly, it’s a bit of a write-off to start. We’ve got a tiny 3ft SW swell with a weak 11-second period, and the wind is a light cross-onshore. The combined energy is only 167 – that’s weak, and the surf is poor.

Wednesday the 5th looks a touch more promising, but still marginal. The swell bumps up to 5ft from the SW with a very long 16-second period, carrying a decent 1025 energy. The wind is a fresh cross-off, so it’s clean, but the ratings tell me the tide is questionable. The afternoon goes lumpy with a strong cross-shore.

Thursday the 6th through to Friday the 7th sees the swell pushing up over 7ft, with periods between 12 and 15 seconds, and energy climbing into the thousands (1215 to 2434). The problem is the wind – it’s cross or cross-onshore, creating chop. It’s marginal at best, and at 7ft to 8ft, it’s getting a bit too big for beginners.

Now, the real standout is Saturday the 8th of August. The afternoon is where it’s at. We’ve got a 7ft SSW swell with a 14-second period, and the combined energy is a solid 1487. But the magic is the wind: glassy, with a slight air from the WSW. That’s going to be clean, smooth, and the best of the early window. This is the pick for the first week.

Sunday the 9th turns ugly. Rain showers, an 12ft SSW swell with a 4246 energy reading, but the wind is a fresh cross-onshore. That’s messy and too big for anyone but experts. The 10th is clean but the period drops to 9 seconds, and the energy is low (614-785). Not great.

Tuesday the 11th of August is a hidden gem. The morning is clean with a cross-off breeze, and a 7ft SE swell with an 8-second period (885 energy). The afternoon goes glassy, with a 7ft SE swell (813 energy). It’s short period, but the glassy conditions will make it fun for a paddle.

The absolute best of the whole 16-day window, in my opinion, is Wednesday the 12th through Thursday the 13th of August. Wednesday morning shows a 4ft SW swell with a very long, juicy 18-second period, and an energy of 1094. The wind is glassy. That’s a recipe for beautifully shaped waves on this reef. The afternoon is glassy too, with 4ft at 16 seconds. Thursday the 13th is even better, with glassy, calm conditions, a 4ft to 4ft SW swell, and periods of 18 and 16 seconds. The energy is high (1221). This is the kind of window where the reef will really shine – long, clean lines.

After that, the surf drops off. Friday the 14th is small and ordinary, and from the 15th through the 16th, it’s poor with tiny swells and messy winds. There’s a distinct gap of poor conditions here.

Then the second week brings a pulse. On Monday the 17th, the swell jumps back to 7ft SW with a 13-second period, and clean cross-off winds. The energy is 1395, but it’s rated marginal.

The final big call is Tuesday the 18th of August. That morning is looking very good, with a 7ft SW swell, a 14-second period, a gentle cross-off breeze, and a combined energy of 1824. The afternoon gets ruined by a cross-onshore, but that morning session is a long-range standout – promising, but keep an eye on it.

Wednesday the 19th is a big, powerful day with a 10ft SSW swell and 2967 energy, but the wind is cross-shore or cross-off, making it marginal and only for the experienced.

Overall, the best of the lot is the glassy, long-period SW groundswell on the 12th and 13th of August. The Saturday afternoon on the 8th runs a close second. The rest is a mix of marginal and poor, so pick your windows wisely.

Rusty.

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