Southport Main Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, Rusty here, and I gotta be straight with you – the next fortnight is a tough one for the crew at Southport Main Beach. We're looking at a long, dry spell before any real swell shows up, so patience is gonna be the name of the game.

Right now, we've got a bit of a wait. The surf is pretty much flat through the end of August and into the first week of September. Waves are tiny, coming in under 3ft, with a short, weak period. The wind is mostly cross-on or cross, messing up what little bump there is. The water temp is sitting at 69°, which is about average for this time of year, so that's one small comfort. There's a few days where the wind is clean (like the 2nd and 3rd of September with a cross-offshore breeze), but the swell is just too small to do anything with. The combined energy is in the dumps, usually under 100, so it's all weak and gutless. You'll be sitting on a board doing nothing.

There's a bit of a tease on Monday the 7th of September. It's not a standout, but it's the first real movement. The morning shows a 8ft swell from the SSE (10 sec period), which is a big jump. The combined energy hits 1363, so there's a lot of power in the water. But – and it's a big but – that 8ft is pushing into expert-only territory for a beginner spot like this. The wind is light cross-shore, which is okay, but the afternoon drops to 5ft with a cross wind. The morning session on the 7th is the only thing that might get your heart pumping, but it's a one-off.

After that, it's back to the grind. The surf drops off again, and we're looking at days of small, messy conditions. From the 8th through to the 12th, it's all under 3ft to 5ft, with cross-onshore winds and choppy surfaces. The combined energy sits between 100 and 200, so it's just moderate, weak stuff. The water temp stays average.

The very end of the forecast, around the 13th and 14th of September, shows a slightly better swell lifting to 6ft from the ENE, but the period is short (7-8 seconds) and the wind is cross-on or onshore. The energy is moderate to strong (343 to 558), but the short period and onshore wind mean it'll be lumpy and hard to ride. It's a marginal call at best, and the scores reflect that – it's not a goer.

Honestly, for the next 16 days, we have a gap of nearly a week of flatness, then one big but messy day on the 7th, and then more small, choppy stuff. If you're a kite surfer, the stronger winds on the 7th and 9th-10th might make the beach look interesting, but for a paddle surfer, it's a real struggle. The only faint hope is the morning of the 7th September for the experienced crew, but even that's a gamble. The spot is very consistent, so it doesn't stay poor for long, but this run is a test of faith.

Rusty.

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