North Stradbroke - Pt Lookout Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ve stared at the charts for North Stradbroke – Pt Lookout and I gotta be straight with you: this 16-day run is a tough one. We’ve got a solid 16-day window ahead, but right from the get-go there’s next to nothing to get excited about. The first surf that’s even worth mentioning doesn’t show up until Tuesday morning, 1st September, and even then it’s a real scrappy affair.

Let’s start with that Tuesday morning. We’re looking at Pt Lookout, a point break that’s fairly exposed to the east. The swell is tiny, just 2 ft from the east, with a period of 10 seconds – that’s a mix of windswell and some longer-period energy, but it’s weak. The combined swell energy is only 72, which is feeble. The wind is a light cross-offshore from the SE at 15 mph, which keeps things clean, but the waves are ordinary. The water temp is about average for this time of year at 70°. Honestly, it’s surfable only if you're desperate for a paddle.

From there, it’s a long, bleak haul. Wednesday through to the following Tuesday (2nd to 8th September) offers nothing but poor surf conditions. The swell stays tiny, mostly 1 ft to 2 ft, with messy winds switching between onshore and cross-onshore, often strong. The energy readings are mostly in the 40s and 50s, barely a ripple. This is a real gap of dead days – about a full week of no worthwhile waves.

Finally, on Wednesday morning, 9th September, things perk up just a whisker. The swell is still small at 1 ft from the SE, but the period stretches out to a very long 16 seconds. That’s pure groundswell, and it’s got some punch for its size – the combined energy is 73. The wind is light WSW at 10 mph, so clean cross-offshore conditions. The problem is, that long period at a point break like Pt Lookout can make waves a bit too straight and hard to catch. Still, for a patient surfer on a log, there could be a few clean, lined-up runners. It’s the only standout across the whole 16 days, but it’s a whisper, not a roar.

The following days up to 13th September stay marginal, with weak SE swell and light winds but nothing that breaks the mediocre ceiling. There’s no swell over 5 ft here, so no worries about it being too big for beginners – it’s more the lack of it that’s the problem.

All in all, if you’re jonesing for a wave, that Wednesday morning 9th September is your best bet, but keep your expectations in the car park. It’s one of those quiet spells where you either find a glide on a longboard or save your energy for a better forecast.

Rusty.

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