North Stradbroke - Pt Lookout Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, it’s Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you: the next couple of weeks are looking pretty grim for a proper surf at Point Lookout. This isn’t a case of “maybe there’s a window” – it’s a case of the ocean just not cooperating. The swell stays small and the wind is mostly on it or messy, so you’re looking at a long stretch of close-outs and chop.

The first recommendation isn't until Thursday the 6th of August, and even then, it’s barely a pulse. We’ve got a two-day gap of nothing before that, so don’t hold your breath for the next day or so. When that Thursday morning rolls around, you’ll find a weak 2ft east swell with a short 8-second period, pushing in from the east. The combined energy is weak at 84, and while the wind is a light cross-offshore, it’s just not enough to make it worth the paddle. It’s clean, but it’s tiny. Friday morning is a touch better with a 2.5ft east swell and a proper offshore breeze, but still, the energy is weak (81). The period is a short 8 seconds, so it’s going to be a bit crumbly.

We keep chugging along with these small, sub-3ft waves through the weekend. Saturday morning is similar – 2.5ft, offshore, but the energy is still weak at 98. Sunday morning the 9th is the first real standout of the whole period, and it’s a bit of a tease. The wind goes completely glassy, which is magic, and the swell bumps up to a 3ft east swell with a 9-second period. The combined energy jumps to a moderate 182. That’s the best you’re going to get for a while – clean, glassy, and a little bit of push. But it’s still small, so don’t expect any hero waves. The afternoon kills it though, with a 15 mph onshore northerly that chops it all up.

After that little tease, we go back into the doldrums. Monday the 10th gets blown out with a strong 25 mph cross-shore, and while the energy is moderate (175), the wind makes it a mess. The rest of that week is a continuation of the same story: small swells, periods around 9 seconds, and mostly cross-off or cross winds that keep it just shy of being good. The energy stays weak to moderate, but the wave heights hover around 2ft to 3ft. It’s surfable but ordinary, and honestly, you’re better off finding something else to do.

The second week starts with a bit more size but a whole lot more wind. From the 13th of August, the swell starts to pick up, but so does the wind, and it gets strong. Thursday the 13th afternoon sees a 4ft southeast swell with a 10-second period, and the energy jumps to a strong 361. But the wind is a screaming 25 mph cross-offshore. It’s clean, but it’s going to be hard work and probably blown out. Friday the 14th is the same deal – 3.5ft to 4ft southeast swells, but with 25-28 mph offshore winds. It’s fresh and clean, but paddling out will be a battle, and the surf will be tough to manage. This is when the spot starts to look more like a kite-surfing playground than a surf break.

The weekend of the 15th and 16th brings the biggest swell of the period, but it’s still messy. Saturday afternoon the 15th sees a 5ft southeast swell with a short 8-second period, and the energy is strong at 365. But the wind is a fresh 22 mph cross-offshore. It’s got some size, but the short period means it will be a bit of a close-out mess. Sunday morning the 16th is the biggest – a 4.5ft southeast swell with a long 12-second period, and the energy is very strong at 638. This is a real groundswell, but it’s prone to breaking too straight at Point Lookout, which is a point break, so it may not handle it well. The wind is a fresh 19-22 mph cross-offshore, and there’s rain about. It’s got power, but it’s not going to be the clean, roping waves you dream about.

The following week continues in the same vein – small, short-period swells with fresh to strong cross-offshore winds. The 20th of August has a 4.5ft southeast swell with a 9-second period and a strong energy reading of 513, but it’s got a fresh offshore wind and a question mark over the tides. It might be the pick of the second week, but it’s a long way out and the forecast confidence is lower. For now, the standout of the whole 16 days is that glassy Sunday morning the 9th of August. It’s not big, but it’s the only time you’ll get truly clean, glassy conditions with a bit of push. The water temp

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