Lyall Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s on the cards for Lyall Bay over the next couple of weeks. It’s a mixed bag, and you’ll need to be patient.

Right off the bat, we’ve got a bit of a wait. The first worthwhile surf is a small window on Saturday the 30th of August. The swell is tiny, only 2ft from the SSW, but the wind is offshore and clean. It’s more of a longboard session for the beginner crew, but it's surfable. The water temp is sitting at 55°, which is a touch warmer than average for this time of year, so not a bad deal.

The real standout, the one that’s got my attention, is shaping up for Wednesday the 2nd of September. We’re looking at a solid 8ft swell from the S, with a period of 13 seconds. That’s a proper groundswell with some real energy behind it (combined energy of 3174). The morning is looking clean with a cross-offshore wind. This is expert territory though – at that size, it’s not for the faint of heart. The swell direction is a perfect match for the break, so expect some powerful, well-shaped lines.

Following that, Thursday the 3rd drops back off, with strong winds and only 5ft of weaker swell. Not worth the paddle.

Then there’s a promising blip on Saturday the 5th of September. The morning brings a clean 6ft SSW swell with a gentle offshore wind. The energy is moderate (1051), and the conditions look very good. This is a much more manageable size for a confident intermediate, and the offshore wind will keep it glassy. The afternoon cleans up even more, dropping to 5ft but with a solid offshore breeze.

After that, the picture gets a bit messy again. A lot of days with strong winds and small, weak swell. We’ve got a big gap of poor conditions through the middle of the week.

The very last standout is on Sunday the 13th of September. The morning offers a clean 4ft swell from the S, with a moderate offshore wind and a period of 11 seconds. The energy is moderate (516) and the conditions look good. It’s a solid, fun-sized wave for a Sunday session, but it’s a long way off, so keep an eye on the charts.

The one big caveat for Lyall Bay is the crowd. It’s a popular spot, and when it’s good, it can get busy. On the standout days, expect a few other heads in the water.

So, to sum it up: the best of the best is that Wednesday morning (2nd of September) for the big-wave crew, and Sunday morning (13th of September) for a more approachable, fun session. The rest of the time, the wind is just too strong and the swell too weak to get excited about.

Stay patient, and I’ll see you out there.

Rusty.

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