Nera Rivermouth Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer for the Nera Rivermouth stretch over the next couple of weeks.

Honestly, it’s a tough one to write. For the first week, from now through to the end of August, the surf is just not cooperating. We’ve got a few pulses of swell, but the wind is a constant problem. Most days are plagued by a cross-shore or cross-onshore breeze, which is making a mess of what little wave energy there is. The combined swell energy is low, mostly under 100, and the wave heights are piddly. The best you can say is that there’s a bit of a long-period groundswell bump on the 24th of August, with a 1ft wave from the SW at a 20-second period, but that’s just not enough to overcome the wind. The water temp is sitting at 73°, which is pretty average for this time of year, so no complaints there.

The first real whisper of hope comes on Tuesday the 25th of August. Wednesday morning the 26th of August is the standout. The swell bumps up to 3ft from the SSW (16-second period), and the combined energy hits 424 - that’s moderate wave energy. The real kicker is the wind: it’s light and offshore from the ENE. That’s clean. For a river-mouth set-up that’s usually sheltered, this is the window. The wave comment says “expect good surf conditions”. It’s a beginner-friendly break, and it’s inconsistent, so you’ll be waiting for sets, but the quality should be there for a few fun ones. The crowd factor is "sometimes", so you might have company, but for a weekday morning, it could be quiet.

After that, the outlook fades fast. The wind swings back to the cross and cross-on directions, and the wave energy drops again. By the 29th of August, swell height climbs to 5ft, but with a cross-onshore wind from the S, it’s just a messy, choppy wall. Not worth the paddle.

Heading into the first week of September, the pattern stays poor. There’s a pulse on the 1st of September with 5ft swell from the SSW, but the wind is a strong cross-shore, making it lumpy. The setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. The 3rd of September sees a bigger 4ft swell with a long period of 19 seconds, and combined energy of 847 – that’s strong wave energy – but the fresh cross-shore wind will ruin it.

So, the bottom line: if you’ve got a board and a desperate need to get wet, make the call for Wednesday morning, the 26th of August. It’s the only clean window in the whole 16-day run. The rest of the time, it’s a flat, choppy, or blown-out mess. For a spot that’s inconsistent, a blank run like this is more normal for the area. Don’t lose hope, forecasts can change, but right now, it’s a waiting game.

Rusty.

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