Marlin Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright mate, Rusty here, and I’ve stared long and hard at what’s comin’ down the line for Marlin. Gotta be straight with you – it’s a tough stretch. For the first week, from Friday the 7th of August through to Wednesday the 12th, we’re lookin’ at a real flat spell in terms of quality. The swell is small, mostly from the east around 3ft to 4ft, and with periods so short – 7 seconds, sometimes 5 – there’s just no power or shape. Wind’s been onshore or cross-onshore, choppin’ everything up, and the combined energy is weak to moderate (vals like 193, 170, 265). It’s genuinely poor surf, day after day. Not worth paddlin’ out for a wave that’s just gonna close out or get blown apart.

Then we get a little glimmer, but it’s a weird one. On Thursday morning, the 13th of August, a long-period groundswell pushes in from the south – 15 seconds period – but the swell height is only 2ft (combined energy 316, moderate). The wind goes glassy though, which is a huge positive. This is the only time in the whole forecast that the wave comment says "expect good surf conditions." The water is about average for the time of year, no real anomaly. So, if you’re after the absolute best on offer, that’s your window. It’s tiny, very clean, but with that long period it’ll be fat and slow – better for a longboard or a fish, and it might break a bit straight at Marlin, which is a beach break. The rest of Thursday and then Friday, the 14th, the swell stays from the south with a bit more size (3ft to 3ft) and 13-second period, but the wind flips back to cross-onshore, killin’ the quality.

From Saturday the 15th right through to the end of the forecast on Saturday the 22nd, it’s back to the same old story. The swell is mostly from the south or southeast, sometimes east, with heights between 3ft and 4ft, but periods are all over the place – short 6-9 seconds, and the wind is almost always onshore or cross-onshore. The combined energy sometimes spikes up to 779 or 692, which is moderate to strong energy, but it’s just messy, poor surf. The wave comments are all "poor surf conditions" or "marginal." There’s a couple of days, like Sunday the 16th, where it’s just "marginal," which means maybe if you’re desperate, but it’s not good.

So the honest truth? There’s only one standout: Thursday morning, the 13th of August. It’s tiny, glassy, and from the south. If you’re a beginner, that’s your best bet – it’s small and clean. But for anyone else, it’s a long 16 days. The first week is a total write-off, and after that brief hope, the second week is poor again. Marlin is a consistent spot, so it’s unusual to see such a blank run, but we’re in it now. Hang tight, the forecasts can change.

Rusty.

Read more