Kelso (Happy Wanderers) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty, and I’ve been staring at the charts for Kelso (Happy Wanderers) for the next couple of weeks. Honestly, I’d love to give you a solid call to action, but this outlook is a real mixed bag. The water temp is sitting right on 70°, which is dead average for this time of year, so no surprises there. The first solid glimpse of anything surfable doesn’t show up until Tuesday the 18th, and even then, it’s marginal.

Let’s start with the pattern. The first few days are a write-off. Saturday the 15th and Sunday the 16th are pumping out a 5 ft to 6 ft easterly swell, but with a stiff NE wind blowing onshore, it’s just messy. The wave energy is moderate (544 and 625), but the wind kills it. Not worth paddling out. Monday the 17th is a tiny 4 ft NNE windswell with a short 5-second period, dropping to a pathetic 0.3 ft later in the day. That’s a flat spell right there.

The first real chance comes on Tuesday the 18th. Morning shows some cloud cover and a 4 ft easterly swell with a 9-second period. The wind is a cross-off from the S, and the models are calling it clean. The wave energy is moderate (268). It’s far from pumping, but it’s the best morning of the week so far. The afternoon, however, gets rain showers and a drop in size, so grab that early session.

Wednesday the 19th looks like a total dud again. Thursday the 20th shows a 7 ft SSW swell, but the period is a short, junky 6 seconds, and the wind is cross-off. It’s clean, but that short period means the waves will be soft and crumbly.

Now, looking further out, we get a bit of a pulse. On Saturday the 22nd, we’ve got a 10 ft SSW swell with an 8-second period in the afternoon. The wind is cross-off from the SSW, keeping it clean. The wave energy is strong (986). That’s a big wave, and for a point break like Kelso, that size with a short period will be a bit of a wall of foam. It’s not beginner-friendly; you’ll want to be solid on your feet. The cross-off wind will groom it, but at 10 ft, it’s a beast. The consistency is fairly consistent, but the crowds are sometimes an issue—so keep an eye out for company.

The real standout, though, is the run from Sunday the 23rd through Monday the 24th. Sunday the 23rd has a 7 ft S swell with an 11-second period, clean cross-off wind from the S, and the wave energy is pumping (942). That’s a proper groundswell, and the period is long enough to give the waves some shape and power. The point break will handle that nicely. The crowd factor is there, but the surf is good. Then, Monday the 24th is a monster—7 ft to 8 ft from the S and SSW, with a very long 16-second period. The wave energy is enormous (2423). That’s a once-in-a-while swell size and period combo. But the wind is a dealbreaker: it’s a cross-on from the NE, and on Monday afternoon, it’s a fresh breeze making it lumpy. The morning is a NE onshore, but if the wind swings offshore, you’ve got a world-class session. As it stands, the wind conditions keep it from being a full green light, but the potential is huge.

After that, the rest of the period fades. Tuesday the 25th is still big but with a cross-on wind, and by Wednesday the 26th, the swell drops to 3 ft. Thursday the 27th has a clean 3 ft from the SSW with a very long 17-second period—that’s a glassy, clean morning with moderate energy (689), but it’s not the size to get excited about.

So, the best on offer is Saturday the 22nd afternoon for the big wave hunters, and Sunday the 23rd for the all-round quality. The Monday the 24th is a size powerhouse, but only if the wind gods play nice. If you’re a beginner, stay away from the 8 ft+ days, and if you’re an expert, the 22nd and 24th are your window. It’s a tricky forecast, but the second week has some real promise.

Signing off, Rusty.

Read more