Kelso (Happy Wanderers) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, grab your board shorties, let’s have a look at what’s shaking. Rusty here. So, we’ve got some action on the horizon, but it’s gonna be a bit of a waiting game for the real good stuff. The first few days are a bit of a mixed bag, with plenty of marginal or poor conditions before a couple of sweet windows open up.

The week kicks off on Friday, August 21st, with some chest-to-head-high swell from the SSW at 5ft, and a clean 13-second period. The energy’s moderate (880), and the wind’s coming from the NE at 9 mph, blowing straight onshore. It'll be a bit of a messy affair. The next few days, Saturday and Sunday, see some solid swell but the wind is either cross-on or too strong, making it difficult. Sunday morning actually has a solid 8ft SSW swell with a moderate 10-second period and strong energy (1065), and the wind is cross-off, so it’ll be clean, but that’s a lot of water for an intermediate spot. That could be a bit much for beginners.

The first real standout window opens up Monday afternoon, August 24th. It’s only a waist-high 3ft SSW groundswell, but the period is a lovely 15 seconds. The real kicker is the glassy conditions – no wind to speak of, just a slight air. This will be clean as a whistle at Kelso (Happy Wanderers) . Expect moderate combined energy (446). This is your window for a smooth, fun session. The water temp is about average for the time of year here.

Now, the next week is mostly a write-off with strong, onshore winds ruining things. A few small swells show up but the wind is just not playing ball. You’ll see a spike on Monday, September 1st, with a 7ft ESE short-period (8 seconds) swell and a fresh breeze, but the period is too short and the wind too strong for good surfing here. That setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing, to be honest.

But hold on, there’s another highlight. Look out for Wednesday afternoon, September 2nd. We’ve got a clean 3ft SSW groundswell riding a 16-second period, with moderate combined energy (555). And once again, the wind will be glassy with a slight air. That’s another prime, clean session on offer.

Last thing to note: there’s a big spike in swell on Saturday, September 5th, with a 10ft SSW swell and powerful energy (1773), but the wind is a fresh onshore gale from the NE at 19 mph. That’ll be dangerous and messy, only for the keenest of experts.

Keep an eye on those glassy windows. That's where the magic is.

Rusty.

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