Irmas/Leftpoint Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, and I’ve gotta be straight with you – the next couple of weeks at Irmas/Leftpoint are looking like a right mess for most of it. The forecast is a bit of a long grind before we see any real quality.

Right off the bat, starting Sunday the 23rd of August, we’ve got a strong cross-shore wind howling at 25 mph from the ENE, whipping up a messy cross-chop on a 7 ft swell. The combined wave energy is weak at 631, and the period is a short, crumbly 7 seconds. It’s poor, and it’s going to stay that way. The wind barely lets up for days – it’s a constant ENE breeze, fresh to strong, keeping the surf lumpy and cross-onshore right through the week. The swell sticks around 5 ft to 7 ft, but with that wind, it’s just not worth paddling out for. The water is sitting at 81°F, which is about average for this time of year, so not much to get excited about there.

We do see a little shift on Thursday the 27th of August. The swell direction swings to the south, with a long period of 17 seconds, and the energy jumps to moderate (1035). The problem? It’s still a cross-shore wind, and the swell is only 4 ft. The forecast calls it marginal, and honestly, with that wind, it’s still a battle. By Friday, it drops back off.

The next real chance comes on Tuesday the 1st of September. The swell builds to 8 ft from the ENE, with a period of 9 seconds and strong energy (1397). But that morning, there’s a risk of thunderstorms, and the wind is still cross-shore. It’s a marginal one at best – not clean, not inviting.

Now, let’s talk about the standout. The best on offer is Monday the 7th of September. That afternoon, the wind finally drops to a light breeze from the north, turning cross-offshore. The swell is a solid 10 ft from the ENE, with a long period of 12 seconds and very strong wave energy (3768). The forecast says it’s excellent for experienced surfers, and that’s because 10 ft is well into expert territory. The period is long enough to bring real power, but at a reef break like Irmas/Leftpoint, that long period should set up nicely. Keep in mind, this is a week and a half away, so it’s promising but not locked in yet. Still, if it comes together, it’ll be the one to aim for.

The rest of the time? There’s a lot of nothing. Long stretches of poor surf with that relentless cross-shore wind. The setup is more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing on most days, with that strong breeze and lumpy water. For us, it’s a waiting game until that first week of September.

Rusty.

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