Lawrencetown Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s break down the next 16 days for Lawrencetown Reef. Grab a coffee, because it’s a quiet stretch.

Right now, we’ve got a real mixed bag, and honestly, the surf is struggling to get its act together. The first few days are small and messy, with weak energy. The water temperature is about average for this time of year, so no shock there.

The standout window is actually the first morning – Friday, the 21st of August. It’s not big, but it’s the cleanest we’ll see. The swell is 2 ft out of the southeast, with a period of 8 seconds, and the wind is glassy. Combine that with a combined energy of only 71 (weak), and you’re looking at tiny, clean waves. This is a beginner-friendly spot, so if you’re learning or just want to bob around, this is your moment. The southeast swell direction is a bit off the optimum, but the glassy conditions make it work.

After that, it’s a rough ride. Saturday the 22nd and Sunday the 23rd are a write-off – poor surf conditions, cross-onshore winds, and choppy water. The wind really picks up Sunday, with a 15 mph southeasterly, and the swell hits 5 ft to 5 ft, but with a short period around 5 seconds, it’s just mushy, wind-affected junk. The combined energy stays moderate (131 to 177), but it’s not translating to any quality.

The whole of the following week, right through to the end of August, is a washout. Light winds, but the swell is tiny (2 ft to 3 ft) and the period is short. The 27th of August morning has a brief moment of clean conditions with a cross-offshore wind, but the swell is only 2 ft with an energy of 63 – barely surfable.

Then we hit September. The first couple of days see a bump in swell – on the 1st of September, we get 5 ft from the south, but the wind is onshore and strong, up to 18 mph. The combined energy climbs to 166 (moderate), but it’s blown out. The 2nd of September afternoon shows a little promise: a 3 ft south-southwest swell with a period of 8 seconds, and a cross-offshore wind from the northwest at 12 mph. The combined energy is 149 (moderate), and the conditions are clean, but the swell direction is still not ideal. It’s the best of a bad lot for the second week.

The 5th of September morning is the biggest swell we see – 7 ft out of the south-southeast, with a period of 6 seconds, and a combined energy of 406 (strong). But the wind is cross-onshore at 15 mph, and the period is short, so it’s messy. For a reef break, this is only for experienced surfers, and even then, it’s not great.

So, bottom line: the first morning on Friday the 21st of August gives you a tiny, clean window. The 2nd of September afternoon is the next best bet, but it’s still not epic. The rest is a waiting game.

Rusty.

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