North Stradbroke - Pt Lookout Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty. Look, I’m gonna level with you—this 16-day window for Point Lookout is a real mixed bag, and honestly, it’s mostly a frustrating wait. There’s a long stretch where you’re gonna be fighting the conditions more than riding the waves. But there is a couple of windows that’ll get the heart pumping if you’re patient.

The pattern starts off weak. From Friday the 21st well into the weekend, we’ve got small, short-period easterly swell around 3 ft to 3 ft, but the wind is all wrong—cross-onshore and onshore—making a mess of things. The combined swell energy is weak to moderate (160 to 172 on Friday), and the wave comment is “poor surf conditions.” Not worth a paddle. Saturday the 22nd is even smaller and just as messy.

Sunday the 23rd is where we finally see a glimmer. The swell is still a tiny 3 ft from the ENE with a period of 8 seconds, but the morning goes glassy—absolute magic for the points here. Combined energy is weak (94) but those glassy conditions mean clean, rideable lines. It’s not big, but for a patient surfer, it’s the first real chance to get wet without being chewed up. By the afternoon, a light cross-offshore breeze keeps it clean.

Monday the 24th drops back down to 2 ft in the morning, but it’s clean with a cross-offshore breeze. Tuesday the 25th morning is the same story—3 ft, clean, light offshore from the SSW—but that afternoon the wind swings onshore from the NNE and kills it. Wednesday and Thursday are a write-off with bigger winds and poor conditions.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Thursday the 27th morning pushes up to 5 ft from the ESE—moderate energy (287)—with a clean cross-offshore breeze. This is the first real push of size and the wind is working for us. The period is short at 7 seconds, so it’ll be a bit lumpy, but for intermediate surfers at North Stradbroke - Pt Lookout (point, fairly exposed to the E), this is a standout for the week. The swell direction matches the optimum E swell, and the wind is clean. Friday the 28th morning drops to 4 ft but stays clean with a cross-offshore breeze.

Then we hit a bit of a gap. From Saturday the 29th through to the end of the first week into the start of September, the winds get strong—offshore, yes, but fresh to strong (18-22 mph), which makes paddling a chore even if the waves are clean. The swell is around 3 ft to 5 ft, but the energy is all over the place and the wave comments are “poor” or “marginal.” Not worth the windburn.

The second week is slim pickings. Monday the 1st of September morning goes glassy again with a 3 ft E swell (9 seconds, moderate energy 170) – it’s clean and rideable. But that’s a quick window. After that, we’ve got moderate onshore winds and rain, with a bit of a bump in size on Thursday the 3rd and 4th, but the wind is cross-off and fresh, keeping it messy.

The best true standout is Thursday the 27th (August). That 5 ft ESE swell under a clean cross-offshore breeze at Point Lookout is the pick of the bunch—moderate energy (287), good size for intermediates, and the wind is on your side. For a backup, Sunday the 23rd morning is the glassy, small-wave session for the soul.

The water temp anomaly isn’t provided for this break, so I can’t tell you if it’s warmer or cooler than usual for this time of year, but with the air clear and light winds, it’ll feel alright.

Remember, it’s a long outlook and forecasts change—hope we get a better pulse. Until then, keep the board waxed.

Rusty.

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