Indicator Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a good look at what’s on the cards for this stretch of coast. It’s gonna be a tough one for the next little while, I’m not gonna sugar-coat it. We’re looking at a long, dry spell before we see anything worth paddling out for.

The first bit of hope comes on the morning of Wednesday, August 27th. The water is a balmy 72°, which is a whopping 6° warmer than what we’d normally see this time of year. That’s rare, so you’ll be in a t-shirt, that’s for sure. But the swell? It’s tiny. We’re looking at a long-period groundswell, 1 ft from the SW with a period of 15 seconds. The energy is weak (80), and while the wind is light offshore from the SSE, leaving the surface clean, there’s just no power in the water. It’s a scratch session, not a memorable one.

The pattern continues right through the end of August and into the first week of September. There’s a lot of 2 ft, 2 ft, and 3 ft dribble from the W, with periods that are mostly short and weak. The combined energy values are all low, stuck in the double digits or low triple digits, and the wind is mostly cross-on, making it choppy. You get the odd clean morning with a light offshore or cross-off breeze, but the swell is simply too small to do anything with. It’s a real dry spell.

Now, the real standout – and the only one I’d circle on the calendar – is the morning of Wednesday, September 9th. A pulse of long-period SW groundswell arrives, pushing through at 2 ft with a period of 17 seconds. The combined energy jumps to 232 (moderate), which is the most we’ve seen in the entire forecast. The wind is a light cross-on from the W, which isn’t perfect, but it’s manageable. This is a solid, clean groundswell window. The crowd factor at this spot (Indicator) can be a factor sometimes, but for a morning like that, with some real energy in the water, it’ll be worth the company. This is the one to aim for.

Beyond that, the outlook fades again into small, choppy junk through the afternoon of the 9th and into mid-September. If you’re a kiter, you might find some fun in the consistent cross-on breezes on the beachier days, but for the rest of us, it’s a waiting game.

Rusty.

Read more