Irmas/Leftpoint Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer over the next couple of weeks.

Honestly, mate, this is a tough stretch ahead. The only break showing any love in the entire 16-day window is Irmas/Leftpoint, and even then, it’s a bit of a battle. The water temperature is sitting at 81°, which is pretty much spot on average for this time of year, so at least you won’t need a thick suit.

Right from the start on Tuesday 25th August, we’ve got a messy picture. The wind is howling out of the ENE at 22 mph, blowing straight across the reef, and it’s stirring up a lumpy cross-chop. The swell is a short-period 6 ft from the east, but with an energy reading of 637 (moderate combined energy), it just doesn’t have any shape to it. The forecast calls it “poor surf conditions,” and I can’t argue with that. Wednesday and Thursday look much the same—wind stays strong cross-shore, waves are up and down in size but always messy. Thursday morning does show a jump in energy to 1023 (moderate wave energy) with a solid 4 ft south swell at 17 seconds (long period groundswell), but the wind is still 19 mph cross-shore, so it’ll be lumpy as hell. That’s a “marginal” call at best.

We roll into the weekend, and it’s more of the same—Friday, Saturday, Sunday, all cross-shore winds, messy conditions, and waves that just look chopped up. The swell sticks between 3 ft and 6 ft, but with period as low as 7 seconds and energy in the 400-700 range (weak to moderate combined energy), there’s nothing to get excited about. To be honest, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing, given the persistent cross-breeze and lumpy water.

The second week doesn’t give us any relief. From Monday 31st August right through to Wednesday 9th September, it’s the same story: fresh cross-shore winds, poor surf quality, and every reading is a zero. A few sessions on the 9th of September finally manage a score of “2” (marginal), with the wind dropping to 12 mph cross-shore and the wave energy climbing to 1604 (moderate to strong combined energy). The swell is 7 ft from the east-northeast at 9 seconds, but even then, it’s described as marginal due to tide or conditions. That’s the best the whole window offers, and it’s still not clean.

So, if you’re desperate for a paddle, the morning of Thursday 27th August and the Wednesday 9th September afternoon are your only real shots, and even then, expect lumpy, cross-shore chop. There’s a gap of about 12 days with zero recommendations in the middle. Crowds at Irmas/Leftpoint are sometimes a thing, but with surf this poor, I reckon you’ll have the place to yourself. Keep an eye on the forecasts—it tends not to stay poor for long.

Rusty.

Read more