Kelso (Happy Wanderers) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what Kelso (Happy Wanderers) has got cooking for us over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, Wednesday the 26th of August is your window. We’ve got a solid SSW groundswell running, with a very long period of 18 seconds, pushing in at about 6 feet. The combined wave energy is strong at 1913. The wind is a light cross-offshore from the south at just 3 mph, so it’s going to be clean. The water temp is sitting at 70°, which is about average for this time of year, no real surprises there. This is the standout of the whole run: excellent conditions for experienced surfers. If you’ve got the skill to handle a long-period point break, Wednesday morning is it.

Wednesday afternoon sees the swell bump up to about 8 feet from the south, and the energy jumps to a very strong 4580. But the wind swings more cross, so the surface won’t be as glassy. Still doable, but the morning is the pick.

Then we hit a wall. From Thursday the 27th of August right through to Tuesday the 1st of September, it’s a write-off. Strong cross-onshore winds from the northeast, lumpy and messy surf, dropping swell heights, and poor conditions across the board. Thursday morning has 8 feet at 14 seconds, but with 22 mph cross-on winds, it’s a total mess. This stretch is a long, barren gap for any decent paddle surfing. If the wind stays strong, this might be more of a kite-surfing setup than a wave-riding one.

We get a little flicker of hope on Wednesday the 2nd of September. The morning is still marginal with a 4 feet SSW swell at a long 15 seconds and clean cross-off winds, but the energy is moderate at 631. The better part of that day is the afternoon: about 7 feet at 15 seconds, light cross winds, and energy jumping to a strong 1791. It’s a marginal forecast, but it’s the next best option after that Wednesday morning.

After that, it’s back into the doldrums. Thursday the 3rd through Saturday the 5th of September is all onshore or cross-on winds from the northeast, making everything lumpy. On Friday the 4th of September, the swell pumps up to about 10 feet from the south, but it’s blowing 25 mph onshore. That is a massive, messy wall of water – strictly for experts with a big jet ski, and even then, it’s not pretty.

Sunday the 6th of September offers a slight reprieve. A 8 feet easterly swell arrives with light onshore winds in the morning, but the energy is strong at 1399. It’s marginal. The afternoon cleans up a bit with a cross-off wind from the south, but the swell drops to about 6 feet.

The last real flicker is Monday the 7th of September. The morning has a solid 12 feet SSW swell with a moderate 10-second period, clean cross-off winds from the south, and very strong energy at 2504. The afternoon is even cleaner with light cross winds, and energy jumps to 2674. This is another one for experienced surfers only, given the size. It’s promising, but it’s over a week out, so don’t lock your plans in yet.

After that, the swell fades out through the end of the run with small, weak surf and mostly poor conditions.

So, to sum it up: the absolute best is Wednesday the 26th of August morning. The backup is the afternoon of Wednesday the 2nd of September. Everything else is either blown out, too small, or too gnarly with bad wind.

Rusty.

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