North Stradbroke - Pt Lookout Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty. Let’s have a proper look at what’s coming up for Point Lookout on North Stradbroke. The water temperature is sitting at 69°, which is pretty much normal for this time of year – nothing wild there.

Straight up, I’ve gotta be honest: this 16-day window is a real struggle. There’s a long, dry gap before anything even remotely worth getting excited about. The first few days – from Thursday 20th August through to Tuesday 25th August – are a write-off. The swell is tiny, mostly around 3 ft to 5 ft, with short periods of 7 to 8 seconds, and the wind is all over the place. The wave energy is weak, with values like 267 on Thursday morning dropping to barely 86 by Monday. It’s poor surf conditions, no two ways about it.

Wednesday 26th August is more of the same – weak, messy, and not worth paddling out. Thursday 27th August brings a fresh offshore breeze from the SSE at 19 mph, which sounds promising, but the swell is only 2 ft with a short period, so the energy is barely 55 – just not enough to work with.

Friday 28th August morning is the first real glimmer. The swell picks up to 3 ft from the east, period 8 seconds, and we’ve got a moderate offshore wind from the SSE at 16 mph. The wave energy is 97, still pretty weak, but it’s clean. This is one of the rare moments where you might get a few small, clean waves if you’re desperate. Still, I wouldn’t call it a standout.

The next week, from Saturday 29th August through to Thursday 3rd September, is mostly poor. Swell stays small, winds are onshore or cross-onshore, and the energy is low. There’s a bit of a spike on Monday 31st August morning with a 7 ft east-northeast swell, period 7 seconds, and wave energy jumping to 686 – that’s moderate energy, but the wind is onshore from the north at 16 mph, and the conditions are unknown. Looks like a messy, lumpy day for experts only. This setup is more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing – the wind is strong, the swell is decent but short and choppy.

Friday 4th September morning is the last possible chance. Swell drops to 2 ft from the east, but the period stretches to 10 seconds, which is more groundswell character. The wind is offshore from the SSW at 6 mph, and the wave energy is 88 – weak, but it’s clean. The period is long enough to maybe shape a few small, tidy waves, but it’s still tiny.

So, what’s the best on offer? Honestly, nothing stands out as a true winner. If I had to pick one, it’s Friday 28th August morning – clean, offshore, and surfable, but you’ll be on a longboard or a fish. The 7 ft on Monday 31st August is big but blown out, so only for experts who don’t mind a fight. The rest is just waiting for a better forecast. The lack of consistency here is normal for this area – it’s a flat spell, and it’ll pass.

-Rusty

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