National Park Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s in store for us over the next couple of weeks.

Well, it’s a bit of a slow start, I won’t lie. The first real surf we’re looking at won’t get going until Thursday afternoon, the 27th of August, and even then it’s nothing to write home about. The whole opening stretch is pretty small and average. There’s a long gap there through the end of August and into the start of September with mostly flat, weak conditions. The water’s a bit colder than usual for this time of year, sitting at 68°F, about 2°F below average, so you’ll want a decent suit.

The only standout action in the whole forecast comes much later, during the second week. We’ve got a bit of a pulse building around Thursday the 10th of September. That’s where the real focus should be. The morning of the 10th sees a 6 ft swell from the southeast, with a moderate offshore breeze from the same direction. The combined energy is moderate (350), and it’s looking clean. That’s the best window we’ve got. The next day, Friday the 11th, keeps it going with a solid 6 ft to 7 ft swell from the southeast, again with that clean offshore wind. The energy is strong with readings of 400 and 372. That’s a proper groundswell pulse, but the period is around 6 to 7 seconds, so it’s a short period, punchy swell. At National Park, a point break, it should handle that fine.

The earlier days are just small, ordinary surf. The afternoon of Saturday the 29th of August has a 3 ft swell from the east with a gentle offshore, but it’s not going to get the heart racing. The Sunday the 30th has a bigger 5 ft to 6 ft swell from the southeast, but with a fresh breeze, it’s a bit lumpy. It’s surfable, but nothing special.

Remember, anything over 8 ft is for experts only, and we don’t get that high here. The 6 ft to 7 ft stuff on the 10th and 11th is a solid intermediate level, with a bit of push. The crowds are listed as “often” at this spot, so expect company on those better days.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a washout. Don’t bother. But keep your eyes on Thursday the 10th and Friday the 11th of September. That’s your window. The offshore winds and a decent southeast swell should line up for some clean, fun walls at National Park. It’s a point break, so it’ll handle the short period energy well. It’s a long way off, so the forecast could shift, but as it stands, that’s the only real highlight.

Rusty.

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