Ketewel Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s comin’ down the line for the next couple of weeks.

Right, straight off the bat, we’ve got some serious swell energy on the way, but it’s gonna be a bit of a mixed bag in terms of clean conditions. The water is sitting at 80°, which is about 0.9° warmer than usual for this time of year – so pretty average, nothing to write home about.

We’re looking at Ketewel, a reef break that’s sheltered and only fires when the swell comes from the south. It’s an advanced wave, and it’s inconsistent – so don’t expect it to be pumping every day. The forecast shows a solid run of south-southwest groundswell, with periods between 15 and 19 seconds, which is proper long-period energy. That means better shaped waves and more power, but at a beach break it can make things a bit too straight. Ketewel is a reef, so it should handle it well.

The first real standout comes on Thursday, 10th August. The afternoon sees a clean 10 ft swell from the south-southwest, with a period of 18 seconds and a massive combined energy of 4888 (that’s strong to very strong). The wind is light and offshore from the SSE, so the surface is gonna be glassy. This is easily the best on offer in the first week – big, clean, powerful waves for the experienced crew. The crowd factor is “sometimes,” so you might have a few others out, but it’s worth the paddle.

The following morning, Friday, 11th August, keeps that energy going with a 10 ft swell from the same direction, 17-second period, and 4204 energy. Wind is still light offshore from the SSE. Another solid day for the advanced surfer, though the swell is over 8 ft, so it’s strictly for experts.

After that, the wind starts to turn cross-onshore, which churns things up a bit. The swell stays around 7 ft to 8 ft through the middle of the second week, but it’s choppy and not as clean. The energy remains high, but the quality drops.

The next real highlight is on Wednesday, 19th August. The morning has an 8 ft south-southwest swell with an 18-second period and 4042 energy, with light offshore SSE winds. The afternoon is even cleaner – light offshore from the south, same 8 ft swell, 3969 energy. This is the standout of the second week. It’s promising, but it’s a long way out, so keep an eye on it.

Thursday, 20th August afternoon holds onto 8 ft from the south-southwest, 17-second period, 3820 energy, with offshore winds again. That’s another good window.

The last few days of the forecast (from 16th to 18th August) are a bit of a write-off – poor surf conditions and low energy, so expect a gap. But honestly, with the solid runs before and after, it’s worth staying optimistic.

Overall, the best windows are Thursday 10th August afternoon and Wednesday 19th August – both offer big, clean, powerful groundswell for the advanced crew. If you’re a beginner, steer clear when it’s over 5 ft, and definitely when it’s over 8 ft.

Rusty.

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