Marengo Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, it’s Rusty.

Let’s cut to the chase. The next couple of days have some size, but the real juice is hiding late next week. We’ll have a few quiet days in between, so plan your water time right.

Starting now, Friday afternoon (August 14th) at Marengo (Otway Coast), there’s a solid 8ft of southwest swell with a long 15-second period. The energy is strong, a proper 3204 on the dial. It’s a cross-offshore breeze, so the surface should be clean, but the tide might mess with it a bit. It’s a reef and point, so that long period will wrap in nicely. Decent, but not perfect.

Saturday morning (August 15th) is the early pick. Swell sits at a very solid 8ft from the southwest, still with that long 15-second period. But the wind is glass—absolutely zero. That’s a rare treat. The energy is still strong at 2478. For the more experienced crew, this is the window. Clean, lined up, and proper. Saturday afternoon stays clean with a light cross-off breeze, but the wave backs off to 7ft.

Then the wheels fall off for a few days. Sunday through Wednesday (August 16th-19th) the swell drops to around 3ft to 4ft, the period shortens, and the wind goes onshore and cross-shore, making it lumpy and horrible. A real write-off.

Thursday the 20th sees tiny 3ft to 3ft waves with light winds. Clean but small. Friday the 21st gets a bit more push, with 4ft waves and a gentle offshore wind in the morning. Still building.

Now for the main event. Saturday the 22nd sees a jump to a solid 7ft, but the period is short at 9 seconds in the morning, which will make it messy. The afternoon, though, the period stretches back to 15 seconds and the energy jumps to 2874. The wind is cross-off, but there’s size and power.

Sunday the 23rd is a cracker. A 6ft southwest swell with a long 14-second period, and a proper offshore wind all day. Clean, powerful, and very good for those who know what they’re doing.

But the one to clear your calendar for is Monday, August 24th. This is the big one. We’re talking a massive 12ft of swell from the south-southwest, with a very long 16 to 17-second period. The combined energy is enormous, over 6300. And the wind? Dead flat glass all day. This is an expert-only day, no question. Waves over 8ft are serious business. It’s big, powerful, and absolutely perfect. The water temp is 57°, which is about normal for this time of year.

After that, it settles down again. Tuesday the 25th is still rideable at around 6ft, but the wind goes cross-shore and it gets bumpy. The following week is mostly smaller junk with onshore winds and some rain. There’s another pulse around the 29th with 7ft waves, but the period is short (11 seconds) and the wind is cross-onshore, so it won’t be a classic.

So, the plan is simple. Hit Saturday morning for a solid one. But save your energy for Monday the 24th. That’s the one.

Rusty.

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