North Stradbroke - Pt Lookout Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, and I’ve got to be straight with you. Looking at Point Lookout on North Stradbroke over the next couple of weeks, there isn't much to get excited about. The forecast is a pretty solid run of average to poor conditions with gusty winds. The first week, from Sunday the 16th through to Saturday the 30th of August, is looking like a write-off for a quality surf.

We kick off Sunday morning with a 5ft SE swell, but it’s getting hammered by a strong 25 mph SSE wind. It’s offshore, so it’s clean, but the energy is weak and it’s just going to be a battle to paddle into anything decent. The swell is short period too, around 7 seconds, so it’s all wind-slop. The water temp is 69°, which is pretty average for this time of year, and the anomaly is only -0.5°, so no surprises there.

This pattern of cross-off winds in the 15-22 mph range with 5ft to 6ft short-period swell just keeps going all week. The combined energy does tick up a bit on Monday and Tuesday, but the wind is just too strong for it to offer anything clean and well-shaped. There is one small window on Thursday morning the 20th with a lighter 9 mph breeze, but it’s still cross-off and the swell is only 5ft. It’s a no from me.

Friday the 21st sees the wind swing around to the east and then northeast, turning cross-shore and then a light cross-onshore. The swell drops a little too, so that’s it. The weekend after that is more of the same, with strong offshore winds on Sunday the 23rd making it clean but hard work for minimal returns.

Honestly, the only time it looks even remotely close to worth paddling out is very late in the period. The morning of Monday the 24th has a tiny 2ft east swell with a light WSW wind at 6 mph. The guidance even says it’s "surfable but very ordinary conditions". The combined energy is weak, so you might get a couple of knee-high dribblers if you’re desperate.

After that, it’s all tiny – we’re talking 0.7ft to 2ft, with the odd burst of strong offshore wind that just makes it look clean but empty. There’s a hopeful note on the 29th of August with a 3ft east swell and fresh offshore wind, but the period is only 6 seconds, so it’s just chop. You’re better off finding something else to do.

So, for this 16-day window, there are no standout days. The conditions just aren't coming together. The wind is too strong for the size of the swell, and when the wind does ease, the swell is tiny. It’s a tough run.

Rusty.

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