Lighthouse Beach Port Macquarie Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’m gonna be straight with you – this 16-day window for the Port Macquarie area is a real mixed bag of frustration and promise. There’s a heap of days where the wind and swell just don’t line up, and you’ll be doing more watching than paddling if you’re not patient. But there are a couple of absolute gems hiding in there, particularly right at the end, that could make the wait worthwhile.

We start off on Friday morning, 7 August, with a tiny 2ft SSE swell rolling in at a long 10 seconds. The wind is dead glassy, so Lighthouse Beach (Port Macquarie) is looking clean as a whistle, but the wave energy is very weak (92). It’s surfable, but nothing to get excited about. That glassy window slams shut fast – by Friday afternoon, an onshore breeze from the ESE at 6 mph turns it messy, and the weekend is a write-off. Saturday and Sunday have cross-onshore and cross-off winds picking up to 19 mph, with the swell struggling to get above 5ft, but the quality is poor. Monday morning, 10 August, is a brief flicker of hope: a clean 5ft NE swell with a moderate offshore breeze from the WNW at 16 mph. The combined energy is moderate (338), and the conditions are described as “good”. It’s an intermediate-friendly size, but it’s a short-lived window – the afternoon drops right back off.

From Monday afternoon through to Thursday, 13 August, the surf is pretty ordinary. Small swells, messy winds, and a lot of cross-shore chop. Thursday afternoon sees a jump in size – a 7ft S swell at 11 seconds – but a fresh cross-onshore wind at 19 mph makes it a lumpy, blown-out mess with strong wave energy (1034). Not for paddling. Then Friday, 14 August, is a classic case of “looks big, feels terrible”: a 7ft SSE groundswell (12-second period) with a cross-shore wind, and the energy is very strong (1144). The cross-shore wind and that long period means it’ll be a gutless, straight-closing beast at a beach break – probably more interesting for the kite crew than paddle surfers.

The second week is a slog. From Saturday, 15 August, right through to Wednesday, 19 August, it’s all poor surf. Small swells, onshore and cross-onshore winds, and a lot of rain showers. The water temperature is about average for the time of year, so no shock there. Thursday, 20 August, offers a tiny reprieve with a clean 3ft ENE swell and a light offshore breeze, but it’s only marginal.

Now, here’s the standout. Friday morning, 21 August, is a nice little session: a clean 4ft ENE swell with a light offshore wind from the NNW at 6 mph. The energy is moderate (222), and it’s described as “good” conditions. That’s a solid, fun wave for an intermediate. But the real gem is Saturday morning, 22 August. A cracking 8ft S swell, short period at 8 seconds, but with a glassy offshore wind – dead calm, just a slight air. The combined energy is very strong (1105), and the conditions are flagged as “excellent for experienced surfers”. That’s a big, powerful, clean swell. It’s only for the experienced crew at that size, but if you’ve got the chops, this is the one to circle. It’s a long way out, so don’t lock it in just yet, but it’s the best on offer.

Rusty.

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