North Stradbroke - Pt Lookout Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ve got to be straight with you – the next couple of weeks are shaping up as a real test of patience for surfers around Point Lookout. The swell energy is weak to moderate at best, and the conditions just aren’t coming together for anything worth getting excited about. We’ve got a solid 16-day window ahead, but honestly, the first real chance of a surf doesn’t pop up until the afternoon of Saturday the 22nd, and even then, it’s pretty ordinary.

From now until Saturday morning the 22nd, it’s a write-off. We’ve got a bit of a pulse of swell on Thursday the 20th, with a 5ft ESE swell and 8-second period, but the wind is a messy cross-shore from the east at 12 mph, churning up a cross-chop and giving us poor surf conditions. The combined energy hits 533 (moderate), but it’s all for nothing. Friday the 21st is even smaller – 3ft and 3ft waves with light onshore winds, just crummy. Saturday morning the 22nd is still rubbish, with a tiny 3ft ENE swell and lumpy cross-shore wind.

Alright, so Saturday afternoon the 22nd is where we finally get a whisper of hope. The swell drops to 3ft from the ENE, but the wind goes glassy. The energy is weak (83), but it’s glassy. You’ll find surfable waves, but they’re small and very ordinary. It’s a spot for a longboard or a funboard if you’re desperate for a paddle. Crowds are possible here, so don’t expect solitude, but at least it’s clean.

Sunday morning the 23rd is similar: 3ft ENE swell with a light offshore from the SW. Clean conditions, but again, weak energy (89). Surfable but nothing to write home about. The water temp is sitting at 69°F, which is pretty much average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

Monday the 24th stays small, with 2ft to 3ft ENE swell and clean, cross-off winds, but the energy is still weak (72-101). Tuesday morning the 25th offers another glassy window with 3ft E swell and a 9-second period – the period is just long enough to give the waves a bit of shape, but the energy is still weak (96). It’s clean and surfable, but you’ll be scratching for waves.

From Wednesday the 26th through the rest of the first week, it’s poor. Winds pick up strong from the WNW at 19 mph, then swing onshore, and the swell energy stays low (87-130). Thursday the 27th sees a brief offshore from the south, but the swell is tiny at 2ft. Not worth it.

Now, moving into the second week, things don’t improve much. Friday the 28th morning has a 4ft ESE swell with a clean offshore wind, but the swell period is short at 7 seconds, so the waves are crumbly. The energy is moderate (171), but the quality is poor – surfable but ordinary. Saturday the 29th and Sunday the 30th are blown out by strong winds, with the swell staying around 3ft. By Monday the 31st, we’ve got fresh offshores again, but the swell is small and short-period, with energy around 130.

The standout, if you can call it that, is Saturday afternoon the 22nd and Tuesday morning the 25th for the glassy conditions. For a better wave, Friday morning the 28th has the biggest swell of the period at 4ft, but the short period means it won’t have much punch. The best combo of size and clean conditions is probably Tuesday morning the 25th – it’s small but glassy, with a slightly longer period, so the waves might have a bit more shape.

Point Lookout (North Stradbroke) is a point break that’s fairly exposed to the east, which is where the optimum swell comes from. It’s consistent, but for this forecast, consistency doesn’t mean quality. Crowds are possible, especially on the cleaner days. For beginners, the 3ft to 4ft range is fine, but the short period and lack of power mean it’s not great for learning on. Experts will find nothing to challenge them.

If you’re into kiting, this setup looks more interesting than surfing – the beach-and-reef layout with consistent onshore winds and small chop might be worth a look, but for paddling, it’s a lean period.

Rusty.

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