Ketewel Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer over the next couple of weeks around Ketewel.

Alright, straight up – this is a tricky run. We’ve got a solid, long-period groundswell from the SSW coming through, but the wind is almost always cross-on, which is going to keep things a bit lumpy and torn. The water temp is sitting at 80°, which is about average for this time of year, no real surprises there.

The first session worth paddling out for is actually not until Sunday morning, the 16th of August. We’ve got a 7ft SSW swell with a 16-second period – that’s proper groundswell – and the combined energy is strong at 1935. But the wind is ESE at 6 mph, cross-on, so it’s light and only small ripples. It’s marginal, but it’s the best we’ve got early on. The swell direction is south, and this reef is sheltered and prefers south swell, so that’s a tick. Just be aware – it’s inconsistent and crowds are possible here.

Monday the 17th drops off a bit, with smaller 5ft to 4ft swell and poor conditions, I’d skip it.

Things start to build again from Tuesday the 18th, with 4ft in the morning rising to 6ft by afternoon, and the energy jumps to 1919. Still cross-on though, so it’s not clean.

Now, the standout window looks like Wednesday the 19th through to Thursday the 20th. Wednesday morning, we’ve got a 7ft swell from the SSW, 18-second period – very long-period groundswell – and the combined energy is a beastly 3137. That’s strong. The afternoon bumps to 8ft and 3258. Thursday morning hits 8ft, 16 seconds, with energy at 3179. That’s getting solid. But – and it’s a big but – the wind is cross-on at 9 mph, so it’s going to be a bit lumpy and choppy. For the more experienced crew, this is going to be a challenge but there’ll be some waves. The long period might make it a bit straight at this reef, but it’s a reef break, so it should handle it. Not one for beginners – over 5ft is pushing it, and 8ft is expert territory.

After that, Friday the 21st and Saturday the 22nd have moderate cross-on wind at 12 mph, making it properly choppy. The swell is still there – 7ft on Friday, 7ft Saturday – but the quality is poor. Might be more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing those days.

Sunday the 23rd afternoon sees a slight shift – the wind turns directly onshore, with 7ft, 17-second swell, and energy at 2371. Still marginal, but the wind is on, not cross-on, so it might be a bit fuller.

The rest of the second week is a bit of a grind. Monday the 24th to Saturday the 29th sees smaller swells, mostly 3ft to 6ft, with persistent cross-on wind. The energy drops significantly, with some readings under 1000. Nothing to get excited about. The long-period swells come back on the 27th and 29th, but the wind doesn’t cooperate.

Sunday the 30th has a bit of a pulse – 6ft in the morning, 6ft in the afternoon, with the afternoon wind turning onshore and light at 6 mph. That’s the best of the late period, but still marginal.

So, if you’re keen, your best bet is Wednesday the 19th and Thursday the 20th. It won’t be perfect with that cross-on wind, but there’s solid energy and groundswell. Just know it’s for advanced surfers only when it’s over 7ft, and expect some lumps.

Rusty.

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