Irmas/Leftpoint Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, and I’ve got to be straight with you – the next couple of weeks at Irmas/Leftpoint (a reef set-up) are looking pretty grim. There’s a long stretch of poor conditions ahead, so don’t get your hopes up early.

Right now, through Friday the 21st and Saturday the 22nd of August, the surf is small and weak. Friday morning sees a weak 4ft swell from the NE with a short 7-second period, and the combined energy is only 112, so there’s hardly any power. The wind is cross-on from the ENE, and it’s only light on Friday morning, but it gets fresh and messy by the afternoon. Saturday and Sunday are worse – the swell bumps up to 5ft to 6ft, but the period stays short at 7 seconds, and we’ve got strong cross-onshore winds up to 25 mph. The water is a warm 80°F, which is about average for this time of year. Honestly, it’s all poor surf with ripples and chop, not worth paddling out.

From Monday the 24th through to the end of August, the pattern doesn’t improve. The swell stays in the 3ft to 6ft range, mostly from the ENE or E, with periods still short at 6-7 seconds, and the wind is a constant fresh cross-shore breeze. The combined energy climbs a bit – up to 625 on the 26th – but the conditions are lumpy and messy. There’s a brief change on the 26th afternoon when a 2ft swell from the south with an 18-second period shows up, and the energy hits 571, but the cross-shore wind ruins it. By Thursday the 27th, a longer-period S swell builds to 4ft with a 17-second period and energy of 1181, but the wind is still fresh cross-shore, so it’s all lumpy. The waves are there but the wind kills the quality.

The best chance in this whole outlook comes on Monday the 31st of August, but it’s a big one. The swell jumps to 10ft from the ENE with an 11-second period, and the combined energy is massive at 2525. By the afternoon, it’s 13ft with a 10-second period and energy of 3418 – that’s serious power. But the wind is a fresh cross-shore, so it’s lumpy and messy. This is only for experts, as it’s well over 8ft, and with that kind of energy and onshore influence, it’s more of a beast than a beauty. The swell direction is ENE, not the optimum ESE, so it’s not ideal for the reef.

After that, Tuesday the 1st of September stays big – 10ft to 12ft from the ENE, but with near gale-force cross-shore winds up to 31 mph. The energy is still huge, but it’s a total mess. The rest of the first week of September sees the swell drop to 5ft to 8ft, with periods from 8 to 12 seconds, but the wind is cross-on or onshore, and the energy is moderate at best. There’s a slight chance on Friday the 4th morning with a gentle cross-on breeze and 6ft swell, but it’s still marginal.

In the second week, around Saturday the 5th of September, we see a 6ft swell from the ENE with a 12-second period and energy of 856, but the wind is light cross-on, so it’s just a little cleaner. Still, not a standout.

So, to sum it up: the only real standout is Monday the 31st of August, with that massive 13ft swell and huge energy, but it’s only for the experienced and it’s going to be lumpy. For everyone else, it’s a long wait with poor conditions. The setup here is more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing during the strong winds. Keep an eye on the forecasts, but don’t hold your breath.

Rusty

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