Hope Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, I'm Rusty. Let's chew the fat about what's happening at Hope Beach over the next couple of weeks. It's been a slow start, so don't expect miracles right away. The first few days are pretty flat and dull for paddle surfing.

The big one, the one you need to circle on the calendar, is Saturday, August 22nd in the afternoon. I know it's a week and a half out, but seriously, look at this. The combined energy of all the swells is a massive 12172, which is just a wall of water. We're looking at a solid 15 ft swell from the SW, which is a great direction for this spot. The wind is a light breeze blowing cross-off, so it will be glassy and clean. But here's the thing – any wave over 8 ft is big, and this one is 15 ft on the face. This is strictly for the big-wave experts. For everyone else, it's a spectator sport.

Before that big day, there's a long quiet spell. From now until the morning of the 22nd, the swell is tiny, mostly under 2 ft with long periods but no real push. The water temp is a chilly 52°, which is about 1° colder than usual for this time of year – not crazy, but you'll want a solid wetsuit.

As we move into the end of August, we get a small taste. Monday, August 31st morning looks promising. There's a clean 3 ft SSW swell with a very long 18 second period. That long period means the waves will have good shape and power, but you'll get long waits between sets. The wind is a light breeze, cross-off, so expect some nice, clean lines.

Then, the next big highlight is Tuesday, September 1st morning. This is another one for the advanced crew. We've got a solid 7 ft S swell on the way, with combined energy of 2541. The wind is light and cross-off, so the surface will be smooth. That swell size is right on the limit for experienced surfers. It's a long way out, so keep an eye on it, but it's got potential.

In between, you'll see some swells in the 3 ft to 4 ft range, but the wind often swings onshore, chopping the surface up. A couple of mornings have offshore breezes, but the swell is too weak to do much with.

So, to wrap it up: Don't rush down there this week. The two days to keep an eye on are Saturday, August 22nd for a massive, expert-only groundswell, and Tuesday, September 1st for another powerful, clean session for those with the skills. Everything else is a bit of a wait-and-see.

Rusty.

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