Kelso (Happy Wanderers) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s cooking at Kelso (Happy Wanderers) over the next couple of weeks.

First up, the water temp is sitting at 71°F, which is bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The outlook starts off a bit grim. Tuesday the 4th and Wednesday the 5th are pretty much write-offs with messy, onshore wind and poor surf. The swell is there – around 3ft to 5ft, but it’s coming from the ESE with a short period and the wind is just ruining any chance of a wave. Don’t bother paddling out.

Then we get a glimpse of something special on Thursday morning the 6th. The wind goes glassy, a clean 2ft swell from the SSW with a very long period of 17 seconds rolls in. The combined energy is moderate (374). That’s a classic groundswell setup for a point break like this one – the longer period means better shaped waves and longer gaps between sets, making it easier to get out back. This is the standout session of the whole forecast. It’s small, but it will be clean and fun. If you’re a beginner, this is perfect for you.

Thursday afternoon the wind shifts to a strong cross-off, but the swell drops and the quality fades. Friday the 7th through Sunday the 9th is a mixed bag of light onshore winds and small, weak swell. Nothing to get excited about.

Now, hold onto your board. Monday the 10th and Tuesday the 11th see a massive pulse of swell. We’re talking 15ft to 18ft from the SSW, with combined energy readings through the roof (up to 8956). That’s a serious amount of water moving. However, the wind is howling and it’s mostly cross-off. This is big, raw, and powerful. At this size, it’s only for experts. The sets will be long and lined up, but the wind needs to play ball. The afternoon of Monday the 10th has offshore wind, which is the best of this big swell window, but it’s still a heavy, expert-only wave.

Wednesday the 12th is the other standout, but with a major caveat. The swell is predicted to be too big for this break at 18ft from the SSE. The combined energy is a staggering 20058. The wind is light and cross-on, but the size is just too much for the point to handle. It will be closing out or just unsurfable.

After that, from Thursday the 13th all the way through to Wednesday the 19th, it’s a long, drawn-out period of small, weak waves with persistent onshore winds from the NE. The swell drops back to under 3ft most days, with combined energy values falling into the low hundreds. The conditions are just poor. It’s a long gap of nothing.

So, to wrap it up: The best session on offer is without a doubt Thursday morning the 6th for small, clean, glassy waves. The big swell early in the second week is for experts only, and even then, the wind is a factor. The rest of the forecast is a long, flat, and windy run.

Rusty.

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