Houghton Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s talk about Houghton Bay. It’s a beach and reef setup, exposed to the south, and it doesn’t break all that often – you gotta wait for the right combo. The water’s sitting at 54°, which is about normal for this time of year, so nothing unusual.

Looking at the whole 16-day window, it’s a rough start. From now (Tuesday morning, August 11th) all the way through to late on the 18th, it’s mostly a loss – onshore winds, messy conditions, and mostly poor surf. There’s a big pulse of energy (2211) on Sunday the 16th with a 13ft south swell, but the wind is screaming onshore at 31 mph, making it a total wreck – strictly for the kite surfers, not paddle surfing.

The real standout, the one you’re waiting for, is Wednesday, August 19th. We’ve got a solid 5 to 7ft south swell, with a very long period of 13 to 17 seconds – that’s proper groundswell, loaded with punch. The wind is light and cross-off from the northwest, so you’re looking at clean, lined-up waves. The combined energy hits 1468 then a massive 2345, which is strong. This is excellent surf for experienced surfers – anything over 5ft can be too much for beginners, and at 7ft, it’s expert territory only. That long-period south swell will hold best on the reef sections; it might feel a bit walled at the beach.

After that, Thursday the 20th is still okay with a 7ft south swell (13-second period) but it’s a bit cross-on and marginal, though still rideable. Then Friday, August 21st is another solid day – light offshore breezes from the north-northeast, a 5ft south swell with an 11- to 12-second period. The energy is moderate (701 and 555), and conditions look very clean. The wind will keep it glassy. Crowds are possible at Houghton Bay, so paddle out early.

Saturday the 22nd and Sunday the 23rd drop off – a smaller south swell (4 to 4ft) but still with clean offshore or cross-off winds, though the wind picks up to 18 mph. It’s surfable, but not the highlight.

The second week (from the 24th onwards) goes downhill again – strong onshores and sloppy surf. Not worth chasing.

The best call: Lock in Wednesday, August 19th – that’s the day. A clean, powerful south groundswell with light winds. Friday the 21st is your next best for a more manageable, clean session. Don’t bother before the 19th.

Rusty.

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