Oswald State Park/Short Sands Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for the next couple of weeks.

Honestly, I gotta be straight with you – it’s a pretty grim run for the near future. The waves are going to be pretty dire for a good stretch, and I’m not seeing anything that’ll get the heart pumping until we’re well into the second week. There’s a big gap of poor-quality surf coming up, so don’t rush to wax up just yet.

We’re looking at Oswald State Park/Short Sands here. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so nothing wild to report there.

The first real chance of anything remotely rideable doesn’t show up until Thursday, August 6th. Even then, it’s marginal. The swell is coming from the NW at 6ft, but the period is a short 9 seconds, so it’s a bit weak and junky. The wind is light cross-onshore, which isn’t helping cleanliness. The combined energy is moderate at best (576). It’s a “maybe” session, not a “must-go.”

The pattern keeps bumping along with similar conditions. Friday the 7th is a write-off with poor surf, and Saturday the 8th sees a bump in size to 7ft from the NW (10-second period). That’s a bit of juice, and the combined energy is strong (1096), but the wind is light and onshore in the morning, then cross-onshore in the arvo. It’s big enough to be interesting for experts, but the chop will make it a messy affair.

Now, the standout window – and I’m saying this with a bit of caution as it’s a week away – looks like Sunday, August 9th. The swell is still a solid 6ft from the NW, period is 9 seconds, energy is strong (685), and we’ve got light onshore wind in the morning and afternoon. It’s still marginal, but it’s the best of a bad lot. The waves will be a bit raw and crumbly, but there’s enough power to have a few fun ones if you’re not fussy about perfection. After that, it drops off quickly.

The rest of the period into the second week is a real letdown. We’re looking at small, short-period leftovers and a lot of cross-onshore winds. By the time we hit August 14th, the swell is a pathetic 2ft with a 16-second period. That long period means it’ll be pretty weak and straight at the beach, better suited for a point break than this spot. It’s a flat, disappointing end to the outlook.

So, bottom line: if you’ve got to paddle out, Sunday, August 9th is your best bet, but don’t expect perfection. The rest of the time? Keep the board in the car and watch the forecast.

Rusty.

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