Monabe Rivermouth Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you—this 16-day window for the region isn’t exactly firing. We’ve got one standout that’s worth getting excited about, but the rest is mostly waiting for the magic to line up. The first few days are flat or hopeless, so don’t even bother paddling out until next week.

Monabe Rivermouth is a rare-breaking river spot that’s very sheltered and only comes alive with the right E swell. It’s not a reliable place, but when it works, it can be a real treat. Because it’s a river mouth, the long-period groundswell we’re about to see tends to shape up nicely here, unlike at a beach break. But be warned—it’s inconsistent and crowds are possible, so don’t expect it to be empty.

From now through Saturday 2nd August morning, it’s pretty grim. Swell is tiny—1 ft to 2 ft—with weak energy all under 100 (47 to 385). The wind stays glassy or calm though, so it’s clean but there’s nothing to ride. Saturday afternoon gets a little more energy (4 ft, 699), but the wind turns onshore and it’s poor.

The real action starts Sunday 3rd August morning. Swell jumps to 6 ft from the ESE with a period of 16 seconds (1523 combined energy). It’s marginal—wind is onshore, and tide might mess with it. By Monday 4th August morning, we hit the best moment of the whole forecast. Glassy offshore wind from the S, 12 ft of ESE groundswell at an excellent 18-second period, and strong energy (6788). This is a proper session for experienced surfers only—too big for beginners. It’s clean, powerful, and the river mouth will handle that long period beautifully. The water temp is about average for the time of year, nothing weird.

Tuesday 5th August morning is even bigger: 16 ft from the ESE, still 18 seconds, glassy calm, energy reading 14472. This is for experts only—8 ft or over is serious, and 16 ft is heavy. The wind stays glassy in the morning, but by afternoon it gets a cross-onshore chop, so aim for dawn. After that, the swell stays huge through 6th and 7th August, but the cross-winds build (E at 12–15 mph), making it choppy and marginal. For kite surfers, that big swell with cross-shore breeze might look more interesting than paddle surfing.

By 8th August, the swell drops to 20 ft but still has a solid 16-second period, though cross-winds and low period (8 seconds) in the afternoon kill the quality. From 9th August onward, it’s back to waiting. Swell hangs around 3 ft to 10 ft, but the wind is mostly cross-onshore or onshore, and energy is moderate to weak. A few mornings show glassy conditions (like 11th and 12th August), with 3 ft and 3 ft of surf, but it’s ordinary—surfable but nothing to write home about. The last few days have tiny 3 ft to 4 ft ESE swell with cross-on wind, so not worth the drive.

In short: if you’re experienced, the absolute standout is Monday 4th August morning at Monabe Rivermouth—glassy, 12 ft ESE at 18 seconds, powerful and clean. Tuesday 5th August morning is also epic for the brave, with 16 ft and no wind. After that, it’s picky and rough, with a long gap of mediocrity. Stay patient, and keep an eye on the forecasts—they can change.

Rusty.

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