Oceanic Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, Rusty here. Look, I've got to be straight with you – this 16-day outlook for Oceanic Pier is a tough one. We're looking at a long stretch of tiny, uninspiring surf with very little to get excited about. The first week or so is mostly flat, with a small window of marginal improvement a little further out.

Right now, from Thursday morning the 27th of August right through to the end of the month, we're seeing consistent swell heights around 1ft to 2ft, with periods of 7 to 9 seconds and combined wave energy barely cracking 30 or 40 (a weak 24-55). The wind is a mixed bag of cross and cross-off directions, but the wave quality is just "poor surf conditions" across the board. There's a brief moment of glassy conditions on the morning of Saturday the 29th of August, but with only 1ft of 8-second ESE swell, it's not going to be worth paddling out for.

We then roll into a long gap from the 31st of August through to the morning of the 2nd of September, with nothing but tiny, low-energy windswell (1ft to 2ft, 7-second period) and moderate onshore winds. The combined energy sits in the low 20s to 40s – seriously weak.

The first real glimmer comes on the morning of Wednesday the 2nd of September. The swell picks up to 2ft from the SE with a period of 11 seconds, and the combined energy jumps to a moderate 123 – that's the most energy we've seen all period. The wind is cross-off and light, keeping things clean. The guidance says the optimum swell direction is from the NE, so this SE swell is a bit off that, and the wave comment says "surfable waves but very ordinary conditions." It's not a standout, but if you're desperate, that morning at Oceanic Pier is your best bet in a flat spell.

After that, from the 3rd of September onward, it's back to small, poor-quality surf. The swell drops right back to 1ft to 2ft, with periods of 5 to 10 seconds, and the combined energy is weak (29-73). The winds turn onshore and cross-onshore, especially from the 4th of September, with gusts up to 19 mph. The water temperature is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

Honestly, for the whole 16 days, the only semi-rideable moment is that Wednesday morning, and even then, it's ordinary. If you're a grommet or a beginner, the tiny 1.0ft to 2ft days with glassy or light wind might be okay for a practice session, but there's no real power or shape. The setup looks more fun for a longboard on a flat day than a proper surf. Keep your eye on the forecasts – things can change, but right now, it's a quiet one.

Rusty.

Read more