Happys Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty, and I’ve been watching the charts for this little stretch of coast. Let’s be real honest here – the next 16 days are a pretty grim run for Happys. The finder’s not giving us a single standout session, and the ocean’s just not cooperating. We’ve got a long stretch of poor surf conditions, with a mix of small, weak swell and a lot of cross-onshore wind. The only glimmer of hope is way out on Sunday the 23rd of August, but even that’s a long way off.

First up, Wednesday the 12th of August starts off with a tiny 2ft east swell, period at 9 seconds, and the combined energy is a weak 75. It’s glassy in the morning, which is nice, but the surf is just too small and poor. That 2ft to 2ft stuff sticks around through Thursday and Friday, with the wind swinging around and messing things up. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The weekend of the 15th and 16th sees a bump in swell, up to 6ft from the southeast, with period dropping to a short 6 seconds. The energy climbs into the moderate range (254 on Saturday afternoon, 249 on Sunday), but it’s all cross-onshore wind – fresh and lumpy. This is not the kind of setup that’s going to give you a clean wave. If you’re a kite surfer, the strong wind and lumpy chop might be more your thing, but for a paddle surfer, it’s a write-off.

The second week doesn’t get much better. From Monday the 17th through to Wednesday the 19th, we’re looking at 5ft to 7ft ESE swell, period slowly building from 8 to 9 seconds. The energy gets strong, hitting 805 on Wednesday afternoon, but the wind is still cross-onshore, with rain showers and even a risk of thunderstorms. The surf is consistently described as poor.

Thursday the 20th of August brings the biggest swell of the period – 10ft from the ESE, period 10 seconds, and a massive 2597 combined energy. That’s a strong, powerful swell, but it’s too big for anyone but experts, and the cross-onshore wind keeps it choppy. The rating is a marginal 1/10. There’s a small window of cleaner conditions on Friday the 21st morning, with a cross-shore wind and 6ft swell, but it’s still poor.

Now, the one spot that has a bit of promise is Sunday the 23rd of August. The morning shows 5ft east swell, period 11 seconds, with a cross-offshore wind from the NNW. The combined energy is a moderate 496, and the forecast says “expect good surf conditions” with a score of 2/10. The wind is light, so it’ll be clean. This is a point break, and that longer-period swell (11 seconds) should bring some decent shape. The swell direction is east, but the optimum for Happys is northeast, so it’s not a perfect match, but it’s the best we’ve got. The crowds are often here, so expect some company.

Monday the 24th also has clean conditions in the morning with cross-offshore wind and 4ft swell, but it’s only marginal. After that, the surf fades back into the ordinary and poor category through to the end of the forecast period.

Look, it’s a tough outlook. The only real chance for a decent wave is that Sunday the 23rd of August morning, but it’s a long way off, so take it with a grain of salt. The rest of the time, you’re better off waiting for the next swell window.

Rusty.

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