Out Front Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty, and I’ve been staring at the charts for your stretch of coast. I’ve got to be straight with you – this is a grim run. There’s a big, fat gap of absolutely nothing worth paddling out for right from the start, all the way through to the third week of August. Out Front is the only break in the game, and it’s looking like a write-off for a solid stretch.

We’re talking about Out Front, a sandbar that’s inconsistent at the best of times, and this ain’t one of them. The water temp is sitting about average for this time of year, nothing wild there.

The whole first week, from Saturday the 8th of August right through to Monday the 17th, is a total dud. The swell is tiny – we’re talking 1.0ft to 2ft, with periods mostly under 8 seconds, so it’s weak, short-period wind slop. The combined energy is pathetic, mostly in the single digits or low double digits (47, 45, 25… you get the picture). Winds are all over the shop, but mostly cross-onshore or cross-off, with a few pockets of clean conditions. The problem is, even when it’s clean, there’s just no power. The forecast scores are a flat zero across the board. This is a dead zone.

Then we hit the middle of the second week. Tuesday the 18th of August morning, the swell period jumps to 10 seconds, but it’s still only 1ft – combined energy hits 50, still poor. Wednesday the 19th of August is where it gets a little interesting, but only for the numbers nerds. The swell height stays around 2ft to 2ft, but the period goes to 13 seconds, and the combined energy climbs into triple digits (124 and 154). That’s moderate energy, but it’s a long-period groundswell hitting a sandbar. That means it’ll be breaking straight and fast, not really offering much shape. The wind is onshore or cross-onshore, so it’s lumpy and choppy. Still poor surf conditions according to the data.

The best on offer, if you can call it that, is on Saturday the 22nd of August. The afternoon sees a 3ft swell from the ESE at 12 seconds, with combined energy of 289 – that’s solid moderate energy. The winds are light, from the ESE at 9 mph, but they’re directly onshore. That’s going to blow the face out. The morning of Sunday the 23rd of August has a 4ft swell from the south, but the period drops to 6 seconds, so it’s short-period junk, with a combined energy of 218. Again, light onshore winds.

So, the standout? If you’re desperate, maybe the Saturday the 22nd of August afternoon session. That 3ft, 12-second ESE swell has the most energy behind it, and the wind is light, even if it’s onshore. It’s the only time the swell breaks 3ft. But honestly, with the sandbar being inconsistent and the wind not cooperating, it’s a low-percentage gamble. The rest of the run is a write-off. Don’t bother paddling out until at least the 22nd, and even then, keep your expectations on the floor. This is one of those stretches where the ocean just doesn’t want to play ball.

Rusty.

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