North Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s get into it. This is a bit of a tough stretch. North Beach (beach/pier) is the only spot on the cards, and honestly, the first few days are going to test your patience.

Right off the bat, Saturday, August 29th is a write-off. We’ve got a strong cross-onshore wind kicking up a messy, lumpy 7ft to 10ft ENE swell. It’s poor. The water temp is about average for the time of year, so no surprises there. Sunday, August 30th looks cleaner with a cross-offshore breeze and a dropping swell around 4ft to 5ft from the ENE, but the wave energy is moderate (629-581). It’s marginal, tide-dependent stuff. Monday through Tuesday is small and choppy—not worth the paddle.

We get a brief window on Wednesday morning, September 2nd. A clean 8ft SSW swell rolls in with a cross-offshore breeze. The period is short at 7 seconds, so it’ll be a bit crumbly and disorganised, but it’s the best clean wave energy of the early run (633). It’s not a standout, just a “maybe” session if you’re desperate.

Then it’s back to messy, windy junk until Friday morning, September 4th. That brings a 7ft SSE swell with a fresh cross-shore wind and lumpy conditions (1267 energy) – moderate to strong energy, but the wind kills it. Not recommended.

Now, here’s the real tease. The morning of Saturday, September 5th is the only true standout in the whole 16-day window. A very long-period 5ft S swell (16 seconds) rolls in with a gentle cross-onshore breeze. The energy is strong (1206). That kind of period means proper groundswell – long, powerful lines. At a beach break like North Beach, it might break a bit too straight, so look for a sandbank or a rip to keep it open. It’s going to be inconsistent between sets, but the waves that come through will have some serious push. Crowds are possible here. This is your best bet, but don’t sleep on it.

After that, the second week goes flat and ugly. Sunday, September 6th and Monday, September 7th have some size (7ft to 8ft from the ENE), but the wind is either onshore or blowing a severe gale (46 mph!). That’s kite-surf territory, not paddle surfing. The energy on Monday afternoon hits 1716 – very strong – but it’s also 8ft, so experts only, and the wind makes it a mission. The rest of the week is a mix of cross-offshore clean but small (3ft to 6ft) waves, or cross-onshore choppy junk. Nothing worth planning around.

In short: Swell comes and goes, but the wind rarely plays ball. The only real standout is the Saturday, September 5th morning session – that long-period S swell could be magic if you find the right bank. Everything else is either too small, too windy, or for experts only. Keep an eye on the forecast, it might scrub up, but as it stands, it’s a lean run.

Rusty.

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