Periscope Point Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, I'm Rusty. Let’s have a yarn about what’s coming up for Periscope Point.

We’ve got a solid run of surf ahead, starting from Wednesday the 12th of August and running right through for a good couple of weeks. There’s no quiet gap at the start; the swell is on from the get-go. The water temperature is sitting around 80°, pretty much average for this time of year, so nothing unusual there.

Wednesday morning kicks things off with a clean 6ft SSW swell, period of 14 seconds – that’s a proper groundswell with decent energy (2443). The wind is a cross-off breeze from the ESE at 9 mph, which will keep things tidy. This is a reef break that’s sheltered and needs a southerly direction to light up, and we’ve got it. It’s an advanced wave, inconsistent, and can get crowded sometimes, so keep your eyes open. The swell sticks around in the 6ft to 7ft range through Wednesday afternoon and all day Thursday the 13th, with light to gentle cross-off breezes, keeping the surface glassy and clean. Thursday afternoon is a real standout – 7ft SSW swell at 16 seconds, light 6 mph wind, energy reading 2136 – that’s fantastic quality for experienced surfers.

Friday the 14th and Saturday the 15th hold similar clean conditions, with swell heights around 6ft to 7ft and those lovely cross-off winds. Saturday afternoon sees the energy climb to 2395 with a 7ft, 17-second SSW groundswell and light winds – that’s the pick of the first few days. Sunday the 16th stays solid, with 7ft SSW swell and clean conditions, though the morning has some clouds.

Monday the 17th eases slightly to 5ft-5ft, but still clean and very good. Then Tuesday the 18th brings a shift: the direction goes a touch more SW, with the morning a bit smaller at 4ft but a long 16-second period, and then the afternoon pumps up to 6ft SW with energy at 2538 – another excellent session for the experienced crew.

Now, Wednesday the 19th and Thursday the 20th see the swell jump to 8ft-8ft SW, with periods up to 18 seconds. That’s big, powerful stuff – over 8ft is only for experts, and the wind picks up to 12 mph. The energy readings hit 3825 and 3850, which is very strong, but the conditions are described as marginal for tide or setup. This is a reef break, so that long-period SW groundswell might wall up nicely, but the stronger cross-off wind could make it a handful. For most, this period looks more interesting for a kite session than paddle surfing.

It eases back on Friday the 21st to a cleaner 7ft SW with gentle winds, and Saturday the 22nd is a true standout for the big-wave hunters: 10ft SW swell, 17-second period, energy at 4609 – that’s massive. The morning is clean with cross-off winds, but the afternoon goes cross-shore, creating a bit of chop. Still, for experts only, that morning window is the best of the whole run.

The final week from Sunday the 23rd through to Thursday the 27th holds consistent 5ft to 8ft SW and SSW swells, mostly clean with gentle cross-off winds, but a few afternoons get a cross-shore breeze that messes with the surface. The best of that later period is Tuesday the 25th, with 7ft SSW swell at 16 seconds, clean and solid energy at 2633.

If I had to pick one or two standouts, it’d be Saturday the 22nd morning for the sheer size and power (10ft, clean, cross-off), and Thursday the 13th afternoon for that sweet, clean 7ft groundswell with light winds – both are absolute crackers for the advanced crew.

Rusty.

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