North Stradbroke - Pt Lookout Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a proper look at what’s cookin’ for Point Lookout over the next couple of weeks.

Straight up, I gotta be honest with you – this is a tough one. We’re looking at a long, bleak stretch ahead. The forecast is mostly a story of tiny swell, messy wind, and just plain poor surf conditions. For the first week and a half, there’s hardly anything worth paddling out for. The energy is very weak, and the wind is nearly always a problem. You’ll be waiting a long time for any real hope.

We start off on Sunday the 30th of August, and it’s already a write-off. The swell is a pathetic 0.3ft with a super long 15-second period, but before you get excited, the combined energy is a measly 8 – that’s basically nothing. The wind is a strong breeze, so it’s just not happening.

The whole first week is a blur of tiny, weak waves. Monday the 31st has a 1ft swell, but the energy is still in the gutter. Tuesday the 1st of September sees a tiny bump to 2ft from the east with a 10-second period, and the energy creeps up to 127 (moderate). The wind is a gentle cross-offshore in the morning, so it’s clean, but let’s be real – 2ft is barely a ripple. It’s surfable but very ordinary, as the data says. That’s the closest thing to a highlight, and it’s a sad highlight.

The next many days are a total write-off. We’re talking tiny 1ft to 2ft slop, often with onshore or cross-shore wind. A nasty northerly wind event hits around the 5th and 7th of September, with a short-period 4ft to 4ft swell that’s blown out and lumpy. The energy gets up to 132 and 113 (moderate), but the wind is a fresh breeze to near gale. That’s more of a kite-surfing scene than a paddle surf one, to be honest.

Tuesday the 8th of September is the biggest swell of the whole run, but it’s a disaster. The swell hits 6ft in the morning and 7ft in the afternoon from the north-northeast, with a short period of 6 seconds. The energy is up to 225 and 320 (strong), but it’s a strong cross-shore wind that’s gonna make it a total mess. Hard pass.

It’s not until the 12th of September, a Saturday, that we get a small glimmer. The morning sees a 3ft swell from the southeast with a 10-second period. The energy is a solid 133 (moderate), and the wind is a fresh offshore from the south-southeast. That’s clean. It’s still small, but it’s the best we’ve seen in two weeks. For a break like Point Lookout, which is a point break and fairly exposed, it needs a bit more size to really fire, but that clean offshore wind is a major positive. The water temp is about 70°, which is normal for the time of year.

The 13th of September is similar but smaller, with a strong breeze and a drop in energy. And the 14th is back to tiny cross-shore junk.

So, what’s the call? The standout, if you can call it that, is Tuesday the 1st of September morning for the cleanest, most surfable little waves. The other, more promising (but still small) option is the morning of Saturday the 12th of September with that clean offshore wind. Keep your expectations low, and maybe just wax the board for a paddle.

Rusty.

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