Hotel Novotel Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, Rusty here, and I gotta be straight with you—this stretch of coast is looking pretty flat and messy for the next couple of weeks. We're stuck in a funk with small, weak swell and persistent cross-shore to cross-onshore winds, so don't expect much in the way of decent waves.

Our only real option on the list is Hotel Novotel, a beginner-friendly spot that's fairly consistent and fairly exposed. It's a fairly exposed setup, so it catches what little energy is around. The water temperature is sitting about average for the time of year, so nothing wild there.

The pattern starts Monday, August 31, with a risk of thunderstorms and a 5ft east swell at 9 seconds. The combined energy is moderate (693), but the wind is a cross-shore easterly at 12 mph, creating a cross-chop that kills the quality. The session is rated marginal at best. Monday afternoon drops to 5ft and the surf turns poor. Tuesday, September 1, sees the swell shrink to 4ft and the wind goes cross-onshore, making it even choppier. Wednesday, September 2, the swell drops below 3ft and the energy falls to weak levels (86), and it's all poor from there.

From Thursday, September 3, through to Tuesday, September 15, the swell mostly hangs between 2ft and 6ft, with periods of 7 to 9 seconds. The wind stays cross-shore or cross-onshore from the east and southeast at 9 to 16 mph, so the surface is always chopped or messy. The combined energy occasionally picks up, like on Sunday, September 6, when it hits 1008 (strong) with a 6ft swell, but the wind is cross-onshore at 12 mph, ruining any chance of a clean wave. A couple of mornings in the second week, like Thursday, September 10, and Friday, September 11, have clear skies and cross-shore wind, but the swell is still short-period and weak—only 5ft to 6ft from the east at 8 seconds, with energy in the 300-400 range. It's still not good.

Because the swell rarely gets above 5ft, beginners wouldn't be overwhelmed, but the consistent chop and onshore sections make it a tough paddle and a bumpy ride. Honestly, the setup here looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing given the persistent cross-shore wind and small, poor-quality swell.

Overall, there's nothing worth getting excited about in the 16-day window. The forecast is clear: day after day of poor surf conditions. It's a blank run, but that's not unusual for this area at times. Forecasts can change, so keep an eye out, but right now, I'd leave the board at home.

Rusty.

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