Point Cartwright/Secrets Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s in store for the Point Cartwright area.

The next few days are pretty quiet, to be honest. We’ve got small swell rolling in, nothing to write home about, but there are a few windows where conditions come together nicely if you’re desperate for a paddle. The first real standout doesn’t show until the beginning of September, so we’ve got a long run of average to poor days to get through first.

Starting Thursday the 20th, we get a bit of knee-high plus easterly swell at 4ft, with a short period of 7 seconds. That’s wind swell, not groundswell. Thursday morning has light cross-off winds making it clean, and combined wave energy is moderate at 289. Water temp is 68°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year. That’s a notable chill, over a degree and a half cooler than average. Thursday afternoon turns cross-shore and marginal.

Friday the 21st morning is cleaner again with SE 5 km/h cross-off breezes, swell a touch smaller at 4ft. Fine for a longboard or a funboard, but nothing special.

Saturday the 22nd morning is dead glassy with zero wind – that’s a major positive for clean faces – but swell has dropped to 3ft and energy is weak (111). You’ll get a wave but it’s ordinary.

Sunday the 23rd is small again, 3ft from the ENE with a slightly longer 8-second period. Glassy in the morning. Still tiny. The crowds at Point Cartwright/Secrets can be often, so expect company even when it’s small.

From Monday the 24th through to the end of the month, it’s a grim stretch. Swell runs between 2ft and 3ft, periods short, and many afternoons have onshore or cross-onshore winds. Not worth suiting up for, unless you just want to sit in the water. The combined energy drops into the double digits, staying weak all week.

Then, finally, on Saturday the 29th of August, we get a bit of a pulse. Morning brings 4ft from the ENE with an 8-second period and light cross-off winds (SE 10 km/h). Combined energy jumps to a moderate 239. That’s the best morning of this first week, but it’s still average.

The real standout arrives on Tuesday the 1st of September. Tuesday morning is glassy – dead calm – with 4ft from the east and a longer 9-second period. Energy is solid at 259. That’s clean, workable surf, and the glassy conditions mean it will be smooth as butter. If you can wait, this is the pick of the early period.

But the highlight of the whole outlook is Wednesday the 2nd of September. Morning has moderate offshore winds from the SSE at 20 km/h, swell bumps up to 5ft from the east with a 10-second period – genuine groundswell – and combined energy is strong at 424. That’s a proper session for advanced surfers. The offshore wind will groom that point and reef beautifully. For experts only, anything over 8ft is big here, but 5ft with those conditions and energy is a top-quality wave. Be aware that with a 10-second period and east swell matching the optimum direction, Point Cartwright will handle it well.

Thursday the 3rd of September holds similar: 4ft east swell, 10-second period, light cross-off winds. Energy still strong at 335. A great follow-up day.

After that, Friday the 4th of September drops back to 3ft – back to ordinary.

So if you’re after the best, aim for that window from Tuesday the 1st to Thursday the 3rd of September. Wednesday the 2nd is the standout: clean, solid, and powerful. The rest of the two weeks is small, with a long gap of nothing really worthwhile before that.

Rusty.

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