New Jetty Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, and I’ve got to be straight with you – the next 16 days at New Jetty are a real struggle. We’re looking at a long, drawn-out stretch of small, messy surf with very few windows of opportunity. The water is sitting at 72°F, which is a whopping 6°F warmer than usual for this time of year – that’s a seriously unusual warm spell, so you might not even need a spring suit for a paddle.

The first real glimmer comes on Wednesday morning, 26th August. It’s a clear morning with a slight 5 km/h SSW breeze blowing onshore, but the swell is tiny at 3ft from the south with a 12-second period. The combined energy is weak (338), and the forecast is marginal at best. Still, if you’re itching to get wet, it’s the only morning that’s even close to rideable. The water is much warmer than normal, so it’s a pleasant dip, but don’t expect any quality waves.

Then we hit a long, dry spell. From Wednesday afternoon through to the end of August, every session is marked as poor surf conditions. The swell stays small, mostly between 1ft and 3ft, and the wind is either onshore or cross-onshore, making for choppy, bumpy faces. The combined energy rarely breaks 300, and when it does on Saturday 29th August morning (471), it’s still cross-onshore and marginal. Honestly, it’s a frustrating week.

The only other time things lift their head a little is on Thursday morning, 3rd September. The swell picks up to 4ft from the SSW at 13 seconds, with a combined energy of 568 – that’s moderate energy and the biggest swell of the whole outlook. The wind is light and cross-onshore from the west at 10 km/h, so it’s messy but at least there’s some push. It’s still only a marginal call, but if you’re desperate, this is your best bet. The rest of that week stays small and onshore, with nothing to get excited about.

The final week from 6th September onwards is more of the same: tiny waves, onshore winds, and poor conditions. The swell direction is consistently from the SSW or SW, which is the optimum direction for the jetty, but the size just isn’t there. The best of the lot is a marginal morning on 7th September with a 2ft SSW swell and 15-second period, but the combined energy is only 242 and the wind is onshore.

The standout in this whole 16-day window – and I use the term loosely – is Thursday morning, 3rd September. The 4ft SSW swell (optimum direction for the break) with a 13-second period gives the most energy we’ll see (568), and while the wind is cross-onshore, it’s light. The jetty setup might offer a little shelter from the worst of the chop. Expect crowds to be possible, as it’s the only decent option in weeks. For experienced surfers, it’s a chance to get a few lumpy but rideable waves. Beginners should give it a miss – the swell is too big for them, and the conditions aren’t friendly.

Overall, it’s a lean period. The consistency is poor, and the forecasts are unreliable this far out, but for the next two weeks, don’t get your hopes up. Keep an eye on it, but I’d be finding other things to do.

Rusty.

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