Oceanic Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, and I’ve gotta be straight with you – the next couple of weeks at Oceanic Pier are a real mixed bag, and mostly a quiet one. We’ve got tiny waves and tricky conditions for the vast majority of the forecast, so you’ll need to be patient. There’s a glimmer of something interesting right at the tail end, but it’s a long way off.

Right now, the outlook starts on Tuesday, the 18th of August. Look, it’s small. Tuesday morning brings a 2 ft swell from the southeast with a 12-second period, but the combined energy is weak (69). The wind is a light cross-off from the SSW, so the surface is clean, but it’s barely surfable. By Tuesday afternoon, it gets worse – the wind picks up to 12 mph, becoming cross-shore, and the swell is a messy 2 ft. Honestly, this is a tough stretch.

Wednesday the 19th is pretty much a write-off. The swell drops to 2 ft with a short 9-second period, and the wind is cross-on or cross-shore all day. The energy is pitiful – just 42 in the morning. Thursday and Friday are no better, with swell barely holding 1 ft and periods dropping to 8 seconds. The energy is down in the 20s. It’s flat, it’s weak, and the wind is either cross-off or cross, but the waves just aren’t there.

The weekend of the 22nd and 23rd sees a slight bump in swell height, up to 2 ft-3 ft, but the period drops to a shocking 5 seconds. That’s all wind-slop, no power. The combined energy stays in the 40s and 60s. There’s a risk of thunderstorms on Saturday and Sunday, but the wind is light and cross-off, so it’s clean – just not much to ride. Sunday afternoon gets a fresh breeze of 22 mph, which will ruin any chance of a wave.

The following week is a long, flat grind. From Monday the 24th all the way through to the end of the month, the swell is consistently 0.7 ft to 3 ft, with periods mostly between 6 and 11 seconds. The energy is almost always below 100, which is weak. There are a few moments of glassy conditions – like Tuesday the 25th morning with a light westerly and no wind, or Tuesday the 1st of September morning with a northerly glass-off – but the swell is just too small to get excited about. The 3 ft on Tuesday the 25th afternoon has a 6-second period, so it’s just lumpy.

Now, the one true standout in this entire 16-day window is Wednesday the 26th of August. On the Wednesday morning, we get a 2 ft swell from the southeast, but here’s the kicker – the period jumps to a very long 16 seconds. That’s proper groundswell energy. The combined energy readings hit 196, which is moderate, and we’re feeling it. The wind is light and cross-off from the southwest, so it will be clean. Now, a long period like that on a beach/pier setup can be a bit tricky – it might break too straight and the sets will be spaced out – but for a small wave, it’ll have real shape and push. The afternoon keeps that long 15-second period, with energy at 191, but the wind picks up to 16 mph from the SSW, still cross-off, so it’ll be choppier. Thursday the 27th also holds that 12-second period with energy around 175-189, and cross-off wind, but the swell is still only 2 ft-3 ft. It’s surfable, but not a classic.

So, there’s a serious gap of flat, poor surf from the 18th all the way to the 25th. The best on offer is definitely the morning of Wednesday the 26th of August. It’s the only day where the combination of a very long period, clean cross-off wind, and moderate energy (196) hints at a few decent runners. It’s still small, so beginners could handle it, and the crowd might show up, but it’s the pick of a very quiet bunch. After that, the first couple of days of September look glassy but tiny – 2 ft with a short 7-second period and energy in the 50s. Not much to write home about.

Keep your expectations low, and if you’re after a paddle, aim for that Wednesday the 26th.

Rusty.

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