Henrys Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto, let’s have a look at what’s coming our way for the next couple of weeks. The action’s all at Henrys, and it’s a bit of a slow burner but there’s some real gems hiding in the second week.

We kick off on Sunday, the 23rd of August, with some small, long-period groundswell from the southwest. It’s only around 2 ft to 2 ft, but the period is a huge 18 to 19 seconds – that’s proper groundswell, which at a reef setup like Henrys should produce some nice, long lines. The wind Sunday morning is a cross-offshore from the northeast, 12 mph, so a bit lumpy on the face, but by Sunday afternoon it swings east and goes offshore light, and we get clean, glassy conditions. Water temp is about average for the time of year. The combined energy is moderate (276 to 300).

Monday the 24th sees more small swell, 2 ft to 2 ft, with that long-period southwest energy hanging in. Monday morning’s offshore from the east-northeast (9 mph) keeps it clean, but the absolute standout of this first patch is Monday afternoon: glassy conditions with the wind easing to a near-calm, and combined energy up to 374. That’s clean, small but perfectly formed reef waves. The best of the early days.

Tuesday the 25th is a step down – the swell dips to 2 ft to 2 ft, the period drops a couple of seconds, and the wind goes messy, cross-on from the southwest in the afternoon. Wednesday is similar: small (2 ft), short period (15 seconds), clean in the morning with an offshore but very weak energy (140 in the morning, 116 in the afternoon). Not worth paddling out for.

Then we get a bit of a gap. Thursday the 27th morning picks up with a 2 ft southwest swell and a period back up to 18 seconds, combined energy 260, and glassy conditions. That’s a real quiet session. But then nothing of note until Friday the 28th morning.

Here’s the first true standout. Friday the 28th of August, morning session. Swell jumps to 3 ft from the southwest, period 19 seconds, and the combined energy rockets to 706 – that’s moderate to strong. Wind is a light cross-offshore from the east-northeast (6 mph). Clean, long-period reef waves with some push. Not massive, but quality is high. The afternoon gets blown out with a stronger cross-off.

Now hold on for the second week. The best on offer across the whole outlook is Saturday the 29th of August, morning. We get a solid 5 ft swell from the southwest, period 16 seconds, combined energy hits 1237 – strong wave energy. Winds are gentle offshore from the east-northeast (9 mph). This is excellent surf for experienced surfers; it’s a bit much for beginners. Clean, powerful lines at the reef. Sunday the 30th morning is very similar: 5 ft, period 14 seconds, energy 1056, with a light cross-offshore from the northeast (6 mph). Also excellent, but the period is shorter, so less grunt.

Monday the 1st of September morning sees the swell ease to 4 ft, period 13 seconds, still clean with glassy conditions and energy at 571. Good, but not the standout.

After that, the swell drops through Tuesday and Wednesday (2 ft to 3 ft), but Thursday the 3rd of September morning has a strange one: 2 ft swell from the southwest with a *massive* 20-second period, combined energy 831, but cross-shore winds. That’s a long-period groundswell that might be too straight for a beach break but at Henrys reef it could offer very long, waiting sets. Not the cleanest though.

And the final true standout: Saturday the 5th of September, morning. We get 6 ft of southwest swell, period 16 seconds, combined energy a whopping 1707 – very strong. Winds are offshore from the east (9 mph). This is expert territory, too big for beginners, but for experienced surfers this is the best of the lot. Clean, powerful, solid reef waves. The afternoon gets light cross-shore and messy.

The last few days, Sunday the 6th and Monday the 7th of September, drop back to 4 ft to 5 ft with clean conditions but moderate energy.

So overall, the first week has some clean, small windows, but the real showcases are Saturday the 29th of August morning and Saturday the 5th of September morning. The 5th is the biggest and cleanest of the whole period.

- Rusty

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