Lyall Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s break it down in feet and miles per hour.

It’s a pretty grim start for Lyall Bay, I won’t lie to you. For the first few days we’ve got howling southerly winds and solid, messy swell. We’re looking at a run of poor surf conditions from Sunday the 16th right through to Wednesday the 19th. The swell is pumping, sure – we’re talking 15 ft on Sunday afternoon with a combined energy of 3012 – but with those strong onshore winds, it’s just a washing machine. Not a wave worth paddling for. Kite surfers might get a thrill, but for a regular surfer, it’s a hard pass.

Now, things start to look a bit more interesting on Thursday the 20th. The wind swings northerly and goes light offshore. The swell drops to a more manageable 6 ft from the south, with a moderate period, and the combined energy sits at 499. It’s not huge, but with that gentle offshore breeze, it’ll be clean. Lyall Bay will be worth a look that morning – it won’t be perfect, but it’s the first real chance to get a wave.

Friday the 21st is a bit of a mixed bag. Still some clean conditions with a strong cross-offshore wind, but the swell is down to 4 ft. There’s some long-period energy from the south – periods up to 16 seconds – so the waves will have shape, but the wind will make it tricky. The crowds are sometimes a factor here, so you might have to share the peaks.

After that, we hit another dry spell. From Saturday the 22nd through to Wednesday the 26th, the swell drops off hard, and the wind stays strong and cross-off. It’s small, weak, and not worth the effort. There’s a blip on Monday the 24th morning with a tiny 2 ft south-southwest swell and a very long period of 14 seconds, but the combined energy is only 224, and with a cross-off wind, it’s more of a longboard cruise than a proper session.

Then we get to Thursday the 27th of August – and this is the standout window. The wind goes glassy in the morning, then light cross-off in the afternoon. The swell picks up to a solid 7 ft to 7 ft from the south-southwest, with a long period of 14 seconds and a combined energy over 1500. This is groundswell, it’s got power, and with light winds, Lyall Bay will be firing. The wave comment says it’s excellent for experienced surfers – and they’re right. At over 7 ft on a beach break with that long period, it’s going to be a bit of a handful, but for the crew who know what they’re doing, this is the pick of the fortnight. Just be aware it’s for experts only at that size.

Friday the 28th looks marginal with a cross-shore wind and some chop, and then from Saturday the 29th right through to Monday the 31st, we’re back into strong onshore winds and messy conditions. The water temperature is around 54°, which is about average for this time of year.

So to sum it up: Thursday the 20th is the first clean chance for a smaller wave. The real highlight, though, is Thursday the 27th – get on it if you can handle a bit of size and power. That’s the one.

Rusty.

Read more