Lake Ferry Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. We’re lookin’ at Lake Ferry on the south coast – a sandbar set-up that's got a bit of life in it over the next couple weeks, but you’ve gotta be patient and pick your moments. The water temp’s about average for this time of year, so nothin’ wild there. Biggest issue? The wind swings around a lot, and when it’s not clean, this spot gets messy fast. Here’s the run-down.

First real chance to wet a line comes Thursday, August 27th. We’ve got a solid pulse of SSW groundswell – 7ft to 7ft with a long 16 to 17 second period. That’s a classic groundswell, and for a sandbar, that long period can sometimes make it a bit straight, but the energy is serious: combined swell energy of 2686 on Thursday morning and dropping slightly to 2237 by afternoon. Thursday afternoon, the wind goes offshore from the NE (gentle breeze), so you’re lookin’ at clean, lined-up waves for experienced surfers. This is the standout of the first week – only for those who can handle a bit of power.

Friday August 28th and Saturday 29th are write-offs – fresh to strong breeze from the north and northwest, cross-off, and surf quality drops to poor. Not worth paddlin’ out.

Sunday August 30th starts with a weak 4ft SSW swell at only 6 seconds (short period windswell), combined energy of 149 – just ordinary. By afternoon, the wind howls and the swell collapses. Nothin’ there.

Monday August 31st brings a decent push – 7ft SSW groundswell at 14 seconds, combined energy 1574. Light breeze from the NW, cross-off, so conditions are clean. Another one for experienced crew only, and the long period means you’ll want to work the sandbars for shape.

Tuesday September 1st is a big one. The morning session shows 10ft SSW groundswell (combined energy 2676) with a gentle offshore from the north – that’s clean and powerful. But at 10ft, this is only for experts, and the sandbar might get a bit unruly. Afternoon, the wind swings NW and picks up, so the morning is your window.

From Wednesday September 2nd through Thursday September 3rd, it’s back to poor – strong breeze and onshore winds kill it. Swell’s around but messy.

Now for the second week: Friday September 4th morning is the big highlight. We’ve got 8ft SSW groundswell at a very long 14 seconds, combined energy of 1993, and the wind is nearly glassy – slight air from the NNW, cross-off. That’s clean, powerful swell for experienced surfers. This one looks promising but it’s a week and a half out, so keep an eye on it. Saturday September 5th keeps the run goin’ with a smaller but glassy session – 5ft SSW (combined energy 609) with a light offshore from the NNE in the morning, and Saturday afternoon turns glassy with a southerly breeze. That afternoon session will be clean, small, and fun for a broader crowd – but still a sandbar so watch for the tide.

Sunday September 6th onwards, the swell drops right off – tiny 1ft waves and fresh to strong wind. Not much to get excited about. There’s a little pulse on Wednesday September 9th with 7ft SSW groundswell, but the fresh northwesterly winds will ruin it.

Overall, your best bets are Thursday August 27th afternoon (offshore, clean, 7ft SSW) and Monday August 31st morning (clean, 7ft SSW). For the long-range, Friday September 4th morning and Saturday September 5th afternoon are the standouts to circle on the calendar. Keep in mind, Lake Ferry can be a bit inconsistent and crowds are sometimes an issue when it’s good. But when it lines up, it’s a proper south coast wave.

Rusty.

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