National Park Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cooking at National Park point.

Right off the bat, the first week is a bit of a struggle. The surf is small and the winds are messy. We’ve got a few clean windows that are worth a paddle, but nothing to get overly excited about. The standout by a long shot is the action that builds in the second week, around the 18th and 19th of August.

The real winner is National Park itself. This point break is fairly consistent, exposed to the east-northeast swell, and it’s got a solid run of clean, offshore conditions coming up. The water temp is sitting at 69°, which is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

Saturday the 8th is a write-off. Small, ordinary waves with a combined energy of just 116 (moderate energy) and a light offshore breeze in the afternoon, but it’s not worth getting wet for. Sunday the 9th morning is where it starts to look interesting. That glassy, 3ft east swell with a 9-second period and combined energy of 211 (moderate energy) will have some clean, peelable lines. That’s your best bet for the first few days.

Monday the 10th and Tuesday the 11th are a mess with onshore winds and choppy conditions. The swell drops and the energy plummets below 100 by Thursday the 13th. It’s a real flat spell from the 14th through the 17th of August, with barely any energy and poor conditions.

Then, hold on. Monday the 17th afternoon, a fresh offshore wind kicks in and the swell jumps to 6ft from the east (7-second period) with a combined energy of 279 (moderate to strong energy). Clean, but the period is short, so it might be a bit lumpy. The real fire lights up on Tuesday the 18th and Wednesday the 19th. Tuesday afternoon sees 6ft east swell, 8-second period, and combined energy of 412 (strong energy), with a moderate offshore wind. Wednesday afternoon is similar: 5ft east swell, 9-second period, and 377 energy (strong), also offshore. These are the best waves on offer. That’s a proper groundswell pulse, and the offshore wind will groom it nicely at this point. The crowd profile here says “often,” so expect company, but for waves this good, it’s worth the squeeze.

After that, the swell backs off through the 20th and 21st, with energy dropping back into the 100s and 160s. The 22nd and 23rd are back to tiny, weak surf with energy below 100.

So, if you’re looking for the best day, point your board at Tuesday the 18th and Wednesday the 19th of August. That’s the standout window. The earlier part of the week is for the patient, and the weekend after is for the optimists.

Rusty.

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