North Stradbroke - Pt Lookout Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, grab a coffee and listen up. Rusty here, and I’ve got a mixed bag for Point Lookout on North Stradbroke Island.

The water temp is sitting at a pretty average 71°F for this time of year, so nothing to write home about there. The overall pattern is frustrating; we’ve got a long stretch of rubbish conditions before a couple of potential windows open up.

For the first week, it’s grim. From Sunday the 13th right through to Thursday the 17th, we’re looking at nothing but poor surf conditions. The swell is tiny, the period is short and weak, and winds are all over the shop. It’s basically a write-off, with combined swell energy barely scraping into double digits (25 to 52). There's a brief moment on Wednesday the 16th afternoon where the swell jumps to 8ft from the SE, but with a 34 mph near gale screaming offshore, you won't want to be out there. The energy reading hits 538, which tells you there’s a lot of water moving, but that wind makes it a survival mission, not a surf. The same goes for Thursday the 17th – solid 5ft to 6ft swell from the SE, but with 25-28 mph offshore winds, it’s clean but brutal to paddle into.

Now, hold onto your board, because Friday the 18th morning is the standout. We finally get a clean, moderate offshore breeze from the south at 16 mph, and a proper 7ft swell from the SSE with a 9-second period. The combined energy jumps right up to 916, so there’s serious power in the water. This is Point Lookout doing what it does best. The swell is from the SSE which is pretty close to that optimum E direction, so it should wrap in nicely. This is a good one for strong intermediates – that 7ft is pushing it for beginners. Expect some long, clean lines.

Saturday the 19th drops off again with a 3ft SE swell and cross-onshore winds, so get it on Friday.

After that, we go into another poor run. There’s a second potential window on Monday the 21st morning. We get a 8ft SE swell with a moderate offshore from the SSE again. It’s clean, but the period is a short 7 seconds, so it will be a bit lumpy and walled up. The energy is strong at 549, but it’s not as good as the Friday session. Still, for the desperate, it’s the next best thing. The afternoon gets blown out by a 34 mph near gale.

From Tuesday the 22nd right through to the end of the outlook on Monday the 28th, it’s all downhill. Small swell, weak energy (111 down to 50), and mostly cross or onshore winds. There’s just nothing worth paddling out for. That’s a long stretch of flatness, so keep your board in the car for Friday the 18th.

Rusty.

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