North Stradbroke - Pt Lookout Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, and I’ve got to be straight with you – this 16-day outlook for Point Lookout on North Stradbroke is a tough one to write. We’re looking at a long, frustrating run of days with very little in the way of decent surf. The whole period is pretty quiet, and there are no standout sessions that I’d normally get excited about. It’s one of those stretches where you might end up staring at the ocean more than you’re riding it.

The next couple of weeks start slow and stay slow. From Thursday 3 September right through to Wednesday 16 September, the swell is mostly small to tiny, with heights barely scraping past 3 ft on a couple of mornings, but the conditions just aren’t lining up. The wind is frequently onshore, strong, or cross-onshore, chopping up what little energy there is. The wave energy is weak – for example, most days show combined energy values under 100 (like 86, 65, or 33), meaning there’s barely any push.

There’s a bit of a spike on Tuesday 8 September, where the swell hits 6 ft to 7 ft in the morning and afternoon, with a south-southeast direction and a short period of 6 seconds. The wind is strong offshore in the morning (28 mph), which sounds good, but with that short period, the waves are going to be lumpy and hard to paddle into. The combined energy reaches 267 to 333 (moderate to strong), but it’s still not quality. That same sort of pulse repeats on Thursday 10 September with 6 ft swell and strong offshore wind, but again, short period and messy.

The best chance in this whole outlook is probably the morning of Friday 4 September. It’s tiny – only 1 ft of east swell at 9 seconds – but the wind is light and offshore (9 mph from the south) and the conditions get called clean. It’s barely rideable, but if you’re desperate, you might get a few knee-high peelers at the point (North Stradbroke - Pt Lookout). The water temp is a mild 70°F, which is about average for the time of year – no anomaly to speak of.

After that, it’s a long, barren stretch. The next faint glimmer is on Tuesday 15 September morning, with 2 ft east-northeast swell, but the wind is cross-onshore and choppy. Honestly, for most of these days, you’re better off leaving the board at home. There’s a late-day flicker on Friday 18 September afternoon, where a surprise 7 ft south-east swell hits, with strong moderate onshore breeze and combined energy hitting 400 (strong), but it’s a brief blip with poor conditions – likely messy and blown-out.

This is a classic quiet spell for the region. It’s not unusual – Point Lookout can go days with nothing, and this run is a perfect example. Forecasts can change, but as it stands, don’t hold your breath.

Rusty.

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