Joss Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you. I’ve looked at the charts for the next couple of weeks at Joss Bay, and it’s a tough stretch for anyone looking to get their head wet and catch a decent wave. We’ve got a good long window of mostly flat, weak surf, so don’t expect any fireworks.

The water is sitting at 69°F, which is 7°F warmer than normal for this time of year. That’s a big anomaly, and you’ll feel it. The ocean is wearing a wetsuit that’s too thick. You might want to think about a thinner suit or even just boardshorts and a rashie if you’re brave.

Now, let’s get into the nitty-gritty. For the next few days, it’s basically dead. The swell energy is in the low single digits, with wave heights bouncing around the 0.3ft to 1ft mark. There’s just nothing there. This continues through Sunday the 9th and into the start of next week. We’re looking at a big gap here, nearly a week with nothing rideable at all.

Things try to pick up a little bit around Wednesday the 12th and Thursday the 13th. We see the swell energy climb to 67 on Wednesday morning, with a 4ft wave, but it’s coming from the ESE and it’s got a short, weak 5-second period. The wind is onshore and choppy. Not a pretty picture. The next morning, Thursday the 13th, the wind goes glassy with the swell dropping to 3ft. It’s clean, but the energy is right down at 30, and the period is still a weak 5 seconds. It might be worth a paddle if you’re desperate for a few crumbly shoulders, but it’s not going to be anything special. At this size though, it's still fine for beginners if they're careful.

From the 14th onward, it’s pretty grim again. There’s some swell showing around Saturday the 15th, about 2ft, but the wind is either cross-onshore or directly onshore, making a mess of things. The period remains poor. There’s a brief moment on the morning of Sunday the 16th where we get a clean cross-offshore breeze and a 2ft wave, but the energy is low. Again, not enough to get excited about. By the 17th and 18th, we’re back to nearly nothing. Then on the 20th, a fresh, strong cross-shore wind arrives, with some onshore energy, which will just make it even more of a mess. Interestingly, towards the very end of the window on the 22nd, the period jumps to a long 9 seconds, but the height is a pathetic 0.3ft. All period, no power.

So, what’s the call? If you have to surf, the only real window where it might be even barely plausible is the glassy Thursday morning of the 13th. That’s your standout, but even that is a two-star day at best. With that tiny, weak swell, it’s not going to be a classic. Otherwise, this is a period to get the longboard out and practice your pop-ups on the sand, or maybe just take the time to fix your dings. Honestly, with the best waves only around 3ft, this is more of a lake than a surf break. It’s a long stretch of nothing, and it looks like the setup is more interesting for someone with a kite than a paddle. But that’s the nature of the area sometimes. Keep checking back; forecasts can change.

Rusty out.

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