Harlyn Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s be straight up – this outlook for Harlyn is a tough one. The next sixteen days are looking pretty grim for any kind of proper surf, with a real dry spell on the cards. The first couple of weeks are almost all "poor surf conditions" with very low scores. There’s a gap of about eight days with no worthwhile recommendations at all, from the start right through the last week of August, before we get a sniff of something barely surfable.

The one and only standout – and I use that word loosely – is Thursday morning, the 5th of September. That’s your best shot. We’ve got a 6 ft swell coming from the WNW with a period of 11 seconds, which is a proper groundswell. The combined energy of all swells directed here is a solid 705 (moderate wave energy). Off the back of a fresh offshore wind from the SSW, it should be clean and lined up. Now, a 6 ft swell is a bit hefty for beginners – maybe a little more than they’d want – but for the experienced crowd, that’s a decent ride. The longer period means the waves will have some punch and shape, but at a beach setup, that can make things a bit straight and closed out. Still, with the wind being offshore, it’s the best we’ve got.

Earlier in the week, Wednesday morning the 26th of August, also has offshore wind from the S at 9 mph, but the swell is tiny – just 2 ft with a short period of 8 seconds. The combined energy is a weak 78. It’s clean but it’s a knee-high dribbler. Not worth paddling out for unless you’re desperate.

The water temperature? On the first mention here, Saturday morning the 22nd of August, it’s sitting at 66°F, which is a solid 4°F warmer than normal for this time of year. That’s noticeably warm, almost like a mild bath, so you won't need a thick wetsuit.

Look, for the rest of the period, it’s messy. Lots of cross-shore and cross-on winds, some strong breezes, and the swell direction doesn’t match the optimum from the WNW. That Thursday the 5th is your only real chance, but it's two weeks away and forecasts can shift. For the area, a blank run like this is a bit typical – Harlyn is an inconsistent, sheltered break, so don’t be surprised when the ocean gives you nothing.

If you're after a paddle, wait for that Thursday morning. Otherwise, kites might have fun on some of those bigger, windier days – like the 28th of August with 7 ft to 7 ft swell and strong cross-onshore winds – but for a standard surfboard, it’s grim.

Rusty.

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