Pea Break Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer for our region. The window for solid surf kicks off Saturday the 22nd of August and runs through to Sunday the 6th of September, but don’t go rushing out the door just yet – there are some real wild patches in the mix, especially a rough stretch from Monday the 24th through Wednesday the 26th where the ocean is going to be a mess.

Alright, starting off, Pea Break (a reef setup) is where we’re looking. The first couple of days, Saturday the 22nd and Sunday the 23rd, the swell is pumping in at a chunky 8ft to 10ft from the SW with a very long period of 13 to 16 seconds. That’s serious groundswell energy – we’re talking combined swell energy around the 3953 mark. The wind is cross-off from the SSW, so the waves should be clean and lined up. But honestly, the forecast flags up “marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions,” so it’s not as good as it could be. Still, for the brave advanced crew, there’s plenty of power. Crowds can show up sometimes at Pea Break, so keep an eye out.

Monday the 24th goes downhill fast. The swell sticks around 8ft to 10ft from the WSW, but the wind swings onshore, and by Monday arvo it’s straight onshore from the NW. That’s choppy, crap surf – the scores drop to a 1 out of 10. Tuesday the 25th is even worse, with strong onshore winds up to 25 mph and rain showers. Straight-out junk.

Now here’s where it gets interesting. Wednesday the 26th sees a massive pulse of swell – 16ft to 18ft from the WSW, with a very long period of 17-18 seconds. The combined energy hits a whopping 17108. That’s a heavy, powerful ocean. Wednesday morning is a write-off with fresh cross-shore winds and lumpy chop, but Wednesday afternoon the wind switches to a cross-off from the SSW, and the conditions go “clean.” The score jumps to a 7 out of 10 – this is one of the standouts. That 16ft swell is only for experts, and at a reef break like Pea Break, that long period will wrap in nicely but it won’t be beginner-friendly. The water temp is about average for this time of year – no big anomalies to report.

Thursday the 27th offers another decent window. The swell drops to a still-solid 12ft from the WSW, period 14 seconds, with clean conditions and gentle cross-off winds from the S. The energy is around 5534. Thursday morning gets a score of 5, with “excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers.” That’s your second standout. Consistent and clean.

From Friday the 28th into the weekend, the swell backs off to 5ft to 8ft, but the wind turns messy – cross, then cross-on from the north. Periods are still long (12-16 seconds), but the conditions are choppy and the scores are low. Not worth paddling out for.

Sunday the 30th through Monday the 31st, the swell bumps back up to 10ft from the WSW, but it’s onshore wind all day Sunday. However, Monday the 31st afternoon brings a glassy period – light NNW wind, completely flat water, and 8ft of SW swell with a 17-second period. The energy sits around 3962, and the surf is described as “excellent for experienced surfers.” That’s a real gem if you can get out there, and the score hits a 4. Again, that’s expert territory.

The first few days of September get spotty. Tuesday the 1st and Wednesday the 2nd see 10ft to 12ft swell but onshore or cross-onshore breezes keep it choppy and marginal. Thursday the 3rd is a bit better with gentle cross-shore winds and 10ft swell from the WSW, but still only marginal. Friday the 4th goes downhill with fresh onshore winds and rain showers. The final weekend, Saturday the 5th and Sunday the 6th, offers 7ft to 10ft swell with moderate cross-shore winds – okay for a paddle if you’re keen, but nothing to write home about.

So, to sum it up: the best windows are Wednesday the 26th afternoon for the big clean 16ft swell, and Thursday the 27th morning for the solid 12ft clean waves. Monday the 31st afternoon is a dark horse with glassy conditions and 8ft groundswell. The rest is either too windy, too marginal, or only for the die-hards. Pea Break can get crowded sometimes, so expect company when it’s good. Get out there if you can handle it.

Rusty.

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