Indicator Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here again. Let’s lay it out in feet and miles per hour. The next two weeks are looking pretty flat and frustrating. We’ve got a big gap at the start, with nothing worth paddling out for until at least Thursday the 13th. The first recommendation doesn’t show up until the 13th of August, so you’ve got a few days of flat to burn.

The spot we’re talking about is a reef and point break, fairly exposed to the swell. It’s a fairly consistent place, but the timing is just off. The water is running much warmer than normal for this time of year, sitting at 71°F – that’s a big anomaly of 6°F, which is very unusual. The swell is coming from the best direction for this spot, the NW, but it’s just not showing up with any power.

Let’s break it down. Monday the 10th and Tuesday the 11th are a total write-off. We’re talking 0.7ft to 1.0ft of swell with cross or cross-onshore winds. The combined energy is pathetic – just 2 to 85 (weak). It’s a no-go.

Wednesday the 12th is a little bigger at 2ft, but the wind is still a problem. The energy starts to build to 171 (moderate) by the afternoon, but it’s still choppy and messy.

Finally, on Thursday the 13th of August, we get a small window. The morning brings a light cross-offshore wind from the SSW, and the swell is 2ft from the SW with a period of 16 seconds. That’s a long-period groundswell, which is good for the reef and point, but it’s only 2ft. The energy is 130 (moderate). It’s clean, but it’s very small. This is the best on offer for the first week.

Friday the 14th through Sunday the 16th sees a similar story: small swell, 1ft to 3ft, with cross-offshore mornings that clean things up, but the afternoons get blown out. The energy fluctuates from 62 to 324 (weak to moderate). The 16th afternoon has a pulse of 3ft and 324 energy, but it’s cross-onshore and choppy, so it’s not the one.

The standout of the whole period, if you can call it that, is Tuesday the 18th of August. The morning brings a clean, offshore wind from the SE, and the swell hits 4ft from the W. The period is short at 6 seconds, but the energy is 145 (moderate). It’s the biggest, cleanest swell of the run. The water is still warm, and the wind is offshore. That’s your best bet for a surfable wave, but it’s still only a 1/10 in the ratings. It’s not pumping, but it’s the only real option.

From there, it’s more of the same right through to the 25th of August. Small pulses of 1ft to 4ft, with the occasional clean morning but mostly cross-onshore afternoons. The energy is almost always weak to moderate. There’s a moment on the 20th of August morning with a 1.0ft, 19-second period swell and offshore wind, but it’s tiny. The 22nd of August morning has a 4ft swell with a cross-offshore wind, which is worth a look, but it’s not a standout.

Honestly, it’s a tough outlook. The reef and point setup is waiting for a proper NW swell, and it’s just not here. The 18th of August morning is the only real highlight – a clean, offshore, small window. The rest is a waiting game.

Rusty.

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