National Park Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, to be straight with you—this outlook for National Park is a tough one. We’ve got a 16-day window, but the first week and a half is a real battle. The surf is tiny and mostly messy. There’s a glimmer of something bigger in the second week, on Friday the 11th, but it comes with its own issues. Let’s walk through it.

We’re starting off with nothing to get excited about. From Wednesday the 2nd right through to Thursday the 10th, the waves are small—1.0 ft to 3 ft at best—and the wind is a problem. You see a bit of glass on Friday morning the 4th, with a glassy surface and 1 ft, but the swell energy is weak (48) and it’s just not enough to surf. The water temp is about 68°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year. Most of this stretch is cross-shore or onshore wind, creating chop and lump. There’s a few clean moments with offshore flow, like Monday the 7th morning and afternoon, with 2 ft from the NE and gentle offshore wind, but the wave energy is pathetic (range of 56 to 76), so it’s really just tiny, weak waves. You’d be scratching for a ride.

Then we hit the standout period. Friday the 11th of September morning, the swell jumps to 8 ft from the SE, with a period of 7 seconds. The combined energy hits 499—that’s strong wave energy. The wind is offshore at 19 mph from the SE, so it’ll be clean, but that’s a fresh breeze and it’s going to be hard work paddling. The height is over 8 ft, which puts it in expert-only territory, and the short period (7 seconds) means it’ll be a bit crumbly and quick. For the experienced crew, this is the best on offer—big, clean, and powerful, but you’ll need to earn it. The afternoon drops to 6 ft from the ESE, still offshore, with moderate energy (354), and that’s a bit more manageable but still solid for intermediates.

Saturday the 12th keeps the swell going: 5 ft in the morning from the E, offshore wind, moderate energy (224). This is good, clean surf, probably the pick of the window for intermediate surfers. The afternoon drops to 4 ft and the wind holds, but the energy falls off (176). From Sunday the 13th onward, it fades back to 3 ft and below, with cross-offshore winds and clean conditions, but the size and energy are weak again (108-151). The last few days, into Wednesday the 16th and Thursday the 17th, are tiny and ordinary.

So, if you’re a local, pencil in Friday morning the 11th and Saturday morning the 12th. The rest of the run is a write-off. Crowds at National Park are often a thing, but with the surf being so small for most of the window, it’ll be quiet until that Friday pulse comes through. Be warned: Friday morning is for experts only.

Rusty.

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