Pelican Watch Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's take a look at what the charts are saying for your local stretch.

Honestly, mate, this is a rough run. We’re looking at a 16-day window that’s mostly a bust. The first recommendation for a paddle isn't until Monday the 17th of August, and even then it’s pretty meagre. Before that, there are days and days of tiny, messy, or flat conditions. From the 10th right through to the 16th, the wave comment is almost universally "poor surf conditions." You're looking at a solid week of not much before anything shows up.

The only spot on the menu is Pelican Watch. It’s a beginner-friendly setup, exposed to the swell, and it’s fairly consistent, meaning it *can* pick up waves, but this forecast isn't doing it any favours.

On the morning of Monday the 17th, we finally see something surfable. Swell is a weak 2 ft from the SE, with a period around 9 seconds. The combined energy is still low at 57 (weak energy). The wind is a light cross-offshore breeze from the SW, which will keep things clean. It’s not gonna win any awards, but it’s the first real chance you’ll have to get wet. The water temp? I don't have an anomaly reading here, so I'll assume it's about average for the time of year—not a shocker either way.

The best of a bad bunch looks to be Thursday morning the 20th of August. The swell is similar, around 2 ft from the ESE, with a period of 10 seconds. The combined energy bumps up to 116 (moderate energy), and we have that cross-off wind from the SW again, keeping things tidy with a light breeze. For a beginner spot, those are clean, manageable conditions. It’s surfable, but it's very ordinary. Nothing to write home about.

Later in the run, the morning of Friday the 21st has a glassy start with 3 ft swell from the ENE, but the period drops to 5 seconds – that's short-period, weak, windswell crap, and the energy is only 101 (moderate energy). It’ll be bumpy.

Overall, this is a tough stretch. The combined wave energy never gets into a strong range, and the longer period groundswells that do show up on the 18th and 19th (15 seconds!) are wasted by poor wind direction. That kind of long-period energy at a beach break? It'll break too straight. No standout days here. For a beginner spot, avoid any day with swell over 5 ft or onshore wind. Stick to those clean, small mornings if you can.

Stay patient, mate. The ocean will wake up eventually.

- Rusty

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