Mocambique Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, grab a coffee. Rusty here with a look at what’s coming down the pipe.

The good news is, there’s almost always some swell rolling in, but the story here for the next couple of weeks is that a lot of it is just too damn big for the setup we've got. We're looking at Mocambique, a spot that is exposed and can handle a punch, but there's a fine line. For the first few days, we're on the wrong side of that line.

On Wednesday the 26th of August, the swell is pushing 7ft to 7ft from the SSE with a long period of 14 to 15 seconds. The wave energy is massive – we're talking readings of 1847 and 1987 – that’s a lot of power. The wind is cross-off from the N-NNE, which would normally be a dream, but the report flat out says it's too big for this break. It’s a machine, but an angry one. Only the most experienced chargers should even be looking at it, and even then, it’s a heaving beast.

Thursday the 27th of August into the morning is your first proper window. We get a drop to a still-strong 6ft from the SSE, with a 14-second period, and the energy is a "moderate" 1173. This is the call for experienced surfers. The wind is a light N at 6 mph, keeping it clean. It’s not tiny, but it’s manageable and good. That afternoon it drops off to 5ft and goes marginal.

We then run into a bit of a lull. Friday the 28th and Saturday the 29th of August are messy. The swell shifts to a short-period ENE windswell (8 seconds) with onshore winds. It’s choppy and a write-off.

Sunday the 30th of August is a hidden gem. The swell is a modest 4ft from the ENE, but the wind goes totally glassy on the Sunday afternoon. That’s a window of perfectly clean, fun-sized waves. Monday the 31st of August morning is also glassy with a 5ft ENE swell. For a surfer who just wants to get out without getting smashed, that Sunday arvo and Monday morning are your best bets. Crowds are possible here, so get out early.

Things get heavy again. On Tuesday the 1st of September and Wednesday the 2nd of September, a new S/SSE swell arrives with a shorter period (7-8 secs) and strong onshore wind. It’s 7ft to 8ft, but the wind is cross-on and the energy is over 1000 again. This is a big, onshore mess – looks better for a kite session than a paddle surf honestly.

We settle down again after that. From Thursday the 3rd of September through the weekend, we’ve got cleaner conditions with lighter offshore breezes from the N. The swell drops to a more user-friendly 4ft to 5ft. The period stretches to 10-11 seconds, which gives it some shape. It’s not epic, but it’s consistent and clean. Good for a cruise.

Then we get one final standout to watch. On Monday the 8th of September, the forecast shows a 7ft ENE swell with glassy conditions in the morning and a light cross-off in the arvo. The wave energy is a moderate 553. That could be a very good day with clean 6-foot walls. But we can't ignore the swell that follows. On Tuesday the 9th and Wednesday the 10th of September, a very long-period S/SSE swell (13-15 secs) rolls in at 7ft to 8ft. The energy numbers are huge again (1069-1679). And once again, the wind is cross-off and clean, but it’s predicted to be just too big for this spot. It’s a frustrating pattern of almost-perfect conditions with too much power.

If you want the pick of the litter, aim for the glassy windows on Sunday the 30th of August and Monday the 31st of August, or the clean, manageable days from the 3rd to the 5th of September. The 8th of September is a promising long-range shout, but wait and see if that power settles down.

Rusty.

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