Kawana Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ve been staring at the charts for Kawana Beach, and I’ve got to be straight with you – this is a tough stretch. Over the next two weeks, there’s really not a single day that’s gonna get the blood pumping. The whole 16-day window is basically a write-off for any decent surf.

We start off Tuesday 28 July with barely a ripple – 1ft of weak ESE swell at 11 seconds, but the wind is a messy cross-shore at 9 mph, and the energy reading is a paltry 47. It’s poor, plain and simple. That sets the tone. Wednesday 29 July has a moment of glassy conditions in the morning with a light SW breeze, but the swell drops to a tiny 1ft from the NE with a short 6-second period and only 17 of energy. It’s flat.

Things actually start to build a bit through the end of July and into August, but here’s the kicker – the wind is just relentless. We get swell heights creeping up to 3ft to 4ft from the east and southeast from Friday 31 July through Monday 3 August, with combined energy climbing into the 150–309 range, so there’s some push in the water. But it’s all accompanied by moderate cross-onshore winds between 9 and 16 mph, turning it into choppy, lumpy junk. The swell period is short at 6 or 7 seconds, so no real shape or power. These are days you paddle out, take a beating, and wonder why you bothered.

The swell builds a bit more around Thursday 6 August, hitting 5ft from the east with 279 of energy, but the wind is on it again – fresh cross-onshore at 19 mph. At that size and with that chop, this is more of a kite-surfing setup than a paddler’s dream. It’s messy, blown-out, and not worth the effort unless you’ve got a kite and a death wish.

There’s a tiny glimmer way out on Tuesday 11 August. The morning session shows 1ft from the ESE at 8 seconds, but the wind goes glassy – 3 mph from the SSE, dead calm. The combined energy is only 41, which is weak, but for a brief moment you might find a clean little ankle-snatcher. The forecast calls it “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions,” and that’s about the best we get. Still, it’s a beginner-friendly wave at a beginner spot, so if you’re learning and don’t mind waiting for something tiny, it’s your only real window.

After that, Wednesday 12 August has a pulse – 3ft from the east with a 10-second period and a solid 303 of energy. The wind is a stiff 19 mph from the SW, which is cross-offshore, and they call it “clean.” But here’s the rub: that wind is howling, and for a beach break, a strong cross-off can make it a tricky, bumpy mess. At a point or reef, you’d be stoked, but at Kawana Beach – an exposed beach break – it’s likely to be blown out and only for the hardy. Plus, it’s over a week away, so don’t hold your breath.

Overall, this is a 16-day blank run. Kawana Beach is “fairly consistent” normally, so this dry spell stings. The water temp is about average for the time of year, nothing wild there. But when the wind never gives you a break and the swell is either tiny or choppy, you’re better off waxing your longboard and waiting for the next system. Forecasts can always change, but right now, this is a real bummer.

Rusty

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