Old Woman Island - South Side Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Hey folks, Rusty here. It’s a pretty lean run ahead for Old Woman Island – South Side. This point break is exposed to the east, which is the optimum direction, but the timing and conditions are just not lining up for most of the forecast. The first real chance to get wet isn’t until Tuesday the 1st of September, so that’s a solid gap of over a week with nothing worth paddling out for. Water temps are sitting about average for the time of year, which is nothing unusual.

Saturday 22nd August starts off with a small 3ft easterly swell, but honestly, it’s a bit of a tease. The wind is glassy in the morning, and the combined energy is weak (105), but the swell period is a short 7 seconds, so it won’t have much push. The score is still a flat zero – just not good enough. From there, it’s a whole lot of nothing. We get a few days of tiny, weak waves with poor wind directions, then a blip of glassy conditions on Tuesday 25th, but the swell is only 0.7ft, so you’d be bobbing around on a lake. The wind goes clean offshore on Wednesday 26th morning, but again, swell is a pathetic 0.3ft. The whole first week is a write-off.

Sunday 30th August sees the swell start to build, but it’s not your friend. The morning brings 4ft from the SSE with a weak 5-second period and light cross-onshore wind – it’s messy. By the afternoon, the swell jumps to 6ft, energy climbs to moderate (258), but the wind is up to 12 mph from the SE, making it choppy and cross-onshore. At that size, it’s getting too big for beginners, and the quality is garbage. This is more of a kite-surfing setup than a paddle-surfing one.

Monday 31st August is a bit of a mixed bag. The morning has 4ft with a strong 16 mph NE wind, which is cross-off and clean, but the energy is moderate (288). The swell is from the ESE, and the period is a short 8 seconds. The afternoon drops to 2ft – not much to work with. Still, you could get a few, but it’s not a standout.

Now, Tuesday 1st September is the one to circle on the calendar. The morning brings a solid 6ft easterly swell with a clean cross-off wind from the east at 9 mph. The combined energy is strong (336), and the swell period is a workable 8 seconds. The afternoon holds up well, with 5ft and lighter NE winds. This is the best on offer – clean, consistent waves for advanced surfers. It’s a little big for beginners, but for the crew who know what they’re doing, it’s the call.

Wednesday 2nd September starts with a 6ft easterly swell, but it’s onshore from the SSE with light wind, and the energy is very strong (521). The quality is marginal, and by the afternoon, the wind cranks up to 19 mph from the SSE, making it lumpy and cross-onshore. This one is for experts only, and even then, it’s a battle.

Thursday 3rd September is a no-go. The swell is 5-6ft from the east, but the wind is onshore or cross-shore, and the energy is strong (297-464). It’s choppy and messy.

Friday 4th September offers a brief reprieve. The morning has 3ft easterly swell with a gentle offshore wind from the NNW, making for clean conditions. The energy is moderate (155), and the period is 8 seconds. It’s surfable, but nothing special. The afternoon drops off fast.

After that, it’s back to tiny, weak swell for the start of September. So, to sum it up: you’ve got a long wait, but Tuesday 1st September is your best bet. Get out there early, it’ll be clean and fun.

Rusty

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