Nobbys Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let's get into it. Rusty here, and I've had a good look at what's on the cards for us.

Right off the bat, I’ve got to be straight with you – for the first couple of days, it’s pretty flat and ordinary. We’re looking at a gap of a couple of days with nothing really worth getting wet for. Tuesday the 25th and Wednesday the 26th of August are a write-off. The swell is small and the wind is doing us no favours at all. A bit of energy shows up on Thursday the 27th, but the wind is from the wrong quarter, so it’s a pass.

Now, finally, we’ve got something to work with. Friday morning, the 28th of August, is your first real standout. Nobbys Reef is where you want to be. We’ve got a clean 3 ft swell rolling in from the SSE, and the wind is a light offshore from the WNW. The water is sitting at 64°, which is about 1° cooler than the yearly average – so, pretty normal for this time of year, nothing wild. The wave energy is moderate but solid (588), and with that light offshore breeze, it's going to be clean and make for some decent, rippable walls.

The weekend is a bit of a mixed bag. Saturday and Sunday are there, but the wind swings around onshore, making things lumpy and choppy – not what you want on that reef. The swell energy is still kicking, though (704 on Saturday morning is a solid pulse), so if the wind gods smile on you, it could be a gamble.

Here’s another one that has me excited. Monday morning, the 31st of August. This is a proper sleeper. The swell drops to 3 ft, but listen to this: it's an 18-second period groundswell from the SSE, and the wind is glassy. Completely glassy, like a mirror. The energy reading is high at (640), which for a smaller wave height tells you there’s real grunt in the water. This is a reef break, and that long period groundswell will wrap in and set up some beautiful, lined-up waves. Just a heads up, it can be inconsistent here and it’s an advanced wave, so you need to know what you’re doing. The crowds can show up sometimes, but with those conditions, it’ll be worth fighting for a spot.

After that, the first week of September looks like we're back into a lull. The swell sticks around but gets mixed up with more onshore winds. There are some clean offshore mornings on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, but the swell is tiny – under 3 ft. It’s surfable, but nothing to write home about.

Further out in the second week, around the 7th and 8th of September, the models are hinting at a bit more energy from the SSE again, but the wind predictions keep it messy. Looks like a lot of cross-onshore chop. It’s a long-range whisper, so keep an eye on it, but right now it’s not looking like a standout. There’s a long gap of flat, poor conditions from the end of the first week through the second.

So, your two clear winners are Friday morning the 28th for a solid, clean session on a proper swell, and Monday morning the 31st for an absolutely glassy, long-period groundswell treat at Nobbys Reef.

Keep your wax soft and your eyes on the horizon.

Rusty.

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