National Park Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s look at what’s cooking for National Park.

Right now, it’s flat as a tack. The first few days are a total loss – tiny waves and ordinary conditions. Through Thursday and Friday the 3rd and 4th, the swell is small and weak – around 1 ft from the east with a period of 9 seconds, but the wind is onshore or cross-shore and the combined energy is only around 55 to 77 – real weak stuff. Not worth paddling out.

Friday the 4th morning does turn glassy for a bit, with that same 1 ft east swell, but it’s so small it’s barely a ripple. You’d be sitting there waiting. The weekend is more of the same: Saturday the 5th has a northerly bump at 2 ft to 4 ft, but the wind is cross-onshore and the period is short at 4 to 5 seconds, making for lumpy, choppy surf. Combined energy stays in the weak 44 to 79 range.

There’s a break in the action until the second week. Sunday the 6th and Monday the 7th stay small and clean at times but still under 3 ft – nothing to get excited about.

Now, things finally start looking up on Tuesday the 8th afternoon. The wind swings offshore from the southeast, and a solid 7 ft swell arrives from the southeast with a period of 7 seconds. Combined energy jumps to moderate at 446 – now we’re talking. That’s a proper push of swell, but it’s short-period stuff, breaking a bit quick and lumpy. It’s offshore and clean, but that size and short period means it’s more for experienced surfers – beginners will find it heavy.

The real standout rolls in on Thursday the 10th morning. The southeast swell holds at 7 ft, still from the southeast with a 7-second period, and the wind is fresh offshore from the south-southeast at 25 km/h (16 mph). Combined energy is strong at 368. The waves are clean, the wind is blowing the faces smooth – this is the pick of the window. The swell direction (SE) is a good match for the spot’s optimum ENE, so it’ll wrap in nicely. Expect solid, lined-up waves, and because crowds are listed as “often”, expect a few regulars out. The water temperature is 68°F, which is about a degree and a half colder than usual for this time of year – so a spring suit is fine.

Friday the 11th keeps the good run going with a 7 ft swell from the east-southeast, period 7 seconds, and still offshore from the southeast. Combined energy is strong at 412 in the morning, easing to 287 by afternoon. It’s still clean, still fun. After that, the swell drops through the weekend: Saturday the 12th is 4 ft, Sunday the 13th is 3 ft, and by Monday the 14th you’re back to 3 ft and glassy in the morning – nice for a longboard but nothing to rush for.

The second week fades out. From Tuesday the 15th onward, it’s back to tiny, poor-quality surf with cross-shore and onshore winds. The only later blip is Friday the 18th afternoon when a 7 ft southeast swell rolls in again with combined energy of 432, but the wind is cross-onshore and it’s labelled as poor conditions – probably messy and not worth it.

Bottom line: the best surf in the 16-day window is Thursday the 10th morning and Friday the 11th. Solid 6-7 ft, offshore wind, clean – that’s the window to circle. Everything else is small or blown out.

Rusty.

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