Norman Bay (Wilsons Promontory) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty. Let’s get into it. Well, the forecast window for Norman Bay is a long, drawn-out stretch with some glimmers, but not a whole lot to get the heart racing. The first solid chance of decent surf shows up on Saturday afternoon, August 1st. Up until then, it’s a pretty grim run of poor surf conditions thanks to cross-onshore winds and lumpy, choppy faces.

For the bulk of the first week, it’s a struggle. Friday July 31st has small 3ft to 3ft SW swell but it’s cross-on and messy with that light NW breeze – not worth getting wet for. Saturday morning, August 1st, the swell drops right off to only 1ft SW with a super-long 18-second period, and the wind is cross-shore, leaving micro, gutless waves. But then, Saturday afternoon things briefly turn. The wind goes glassy, dead calm, and we get a clean 3ft SW swell from that same long-period groundswell. Combined wave energy is moderate at 448, and that glassy surface is the big ticket here. It’s a beginner-friendly spot anyway, and with those tiny, clean waves, it’s a rare window for a longboard or a learner to get a smooth session. Crowds are sometimes an issue here, so on a glassy arvo you might have company.

Sunday August 2nd throws a bigger 3ft SW swell with 16-second period, but the morning is crossed up by a light NNW breeze, and the afternoon goes cross-on. The energy jumps to 521, but the quality is marginal at best. Monday and Tuesday the 3rd and 4th are write-offs – building wind, rain, and lumpy conditions. By Tuesday afternoon the wind is a fresh 19 mph from the SSW, the swell is a short-period 5ft at a poor 6 seconds, and the whole setup looks more suited to kite surfing than paddling.

There’s a blink of hope on Friday August 7th afternoon. The wind swings to a light SE cross-off breeze, the swell is a clean 3ft SW from a long 17-second period, and the wave energy is solid at 519. That clean, offshore wind makes it the best session of that whole first week – a proper little window.

Then the true standout of the entire forecast appears on Sunday August 9th morning. The swell pulses up to 5ft from the WSW at 13 seconds, with a cross-off NE breeze at only 6 mph. The combined swell energy is a beefy 1113, which is strong, and the conditions are clean. This is the best swell on offer in the whole outlook. It’s a little too big for absolute beginners, but for anyone with a bit of experience it’s prime. However, it’s also 9 days out, so while it looks promising, the long-range certainty is lower.

From the 10th onward, the wind goes feral. Fresh to strong breezes out of the NW and WSW with rain showers crush any quality. Swells get big – 8ft on Monday the 10th morning with a massive 6299 energy reading – but it’s cross-on, lumpy, and dangerous for all but experts. That has strong kite-surfing written all over it, not paddle surfing.

The water temperature is about 57°F, which is normal for the time of year here at Norman Bay in Wilsons Promontory. So, bring a thick wetsuit.

Bottom line: if you’re keen, make the call for Saturday August 1st arvo for glassy little waves, or hold out for Friday August 7th afternoon’s clean, offshore session. The real heyday looks like Sunday August 9th morning, but keep an eye on the forecast as we get closer. For the rest of it, the wind and chop will keep you on the beach.

Rusty.

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