Lighthouse Right Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ve got to be straight with you – this sixteen-day stretch for Noumea-Pass is a tough pill to swallow. We’ve got a real dry spell on our hands, and for almost the entire run, the conditions just aren’t cooperating. The wind is relentless, mostly a fresh cross-shore breeze from the east, and that’s kept the ocean ugly with lumpy chop. The only real nod towards swell comes through, but with the wind howling, it’s been a write-off.

The first solid window of surf energy starts to build on Monday the 24th of August in the afternoon. We get a long-period SSW swell showing up, running 1 ft at 20 seconds, but the wind is still a fresh cross-shore at 22 mph from the east, creating lumpy cross-chop. The combined energy is a moderate 219, but the wind just wrecks any chance of a clean wave. This pattern holds for days.

Wednesday the 26th sees a bigger pulse of swell in the morning – 5 ft from the SSW with a 15-second period, and the combined energy jumps to a strong 970. But again, that easterly wind at 22 mph is blowing cross-shore, and the report says “poor surf conditions.” It’s a real tease. That energy drops a bit through the week, but the wind stays on it. By Friday the 28th, the wind eases to a moderate 12 mph from the east, but it’s still cross-shore, and we’re down to 3 ft at 13 seconds (energy 198). Still poor.

There’s a glimmer on Monday the 31st of August. The wind swings onshore from the SSE at 16 mph, but the swell is 4 ft from the SSW at 17 seconds, and the combined energy rockets to a very strong 1057 in the afternoon. The problem is that onshore wind is going to kill the shape, making it choppy and poor. The period is long, which would be great at a reef like Lighthouse Right, but the wind direction is all wrong for quality.

The only session that even gets close to worth a look is on Saturday the 5th of September. The morning shows 5 ft from the SSW at 13 seconds with a combined energy of 769, and the wind is a gentle 9 mph from the SE, blowing cross-on. That’s the lightest wind we get for a decent-sized swell, and it might offer a few cleaner, more manageable waves. It’s still not glassy, but it’s the best of a bad lot. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so no freak warmth or chill to report.

Honestly, the whole sixteen days is a blank run for quality surf. The wind just won’t give us a break. This is pretty normal for the area when the trade winds lock in. Keep an eye on the charts, because these forecasts can flip, but for now, leave the board at home.

Rusty.

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