North Stradbroke - Pt Lookout Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s have a proper look at what’s coming up for the next couple of weeks at Point Lookout on North Stradbroke Island.

To be straight with you, the opening of this run is pretty ordinary. We’ve got a bit of small swell around 2ft to 3ft from the east and east-southeast on Saturday the 25th, with a clean surface and light winds, so you could get a few fun little ones if you’re desperate for a paddle – but it’s not gonna get the heart pumping. The combined energy is weak (119–123). Water temp is 70°, which is about normal for this time of year.

Sunday the 26th drops right off, with tiny 1ft to 2ft waves and combined energy falling to as low as 34. Not worth the effort. From Monday the 27th right through to Wednesday the 29th, we’re looking at a real flat spell – less than 2ft for most of it, and the swell energy barely reaches 50. That’s about four days of pretty much nothing rideable.

Thursday the 30th sees a jump in size – 4ft from the south-southeast, but the period is a short 6 seconds and the wind is howling offshore at 25 mph. That kind of strong breeze will hold the face up, sure, but it’s gonna be hard to paddle into and the combined energy is only moderate (157–164). The quality score says poor, and I agree. Friday the 31st pushes up to 7ft early from the east-southeast with 7-second period, and the combined energy jumps to a strong 434. But again, those strong offshore winds (22 mph) make it a battle to get out back. This is expert-only territory: over 5ft, short period, and howling offshore. Not beginner friendly.

Saturday the 1st of August is still pumping 5ft from the east-southeast, with fresh offshore winds, but the combined energy is strong at 428. It’s marginal – there are waves but the wind and short period make it tricky. Sunday the 2nd is the pick of the first week: 4ft from the east-southeast with a moderate offshore breeze (16 mph), combined energy at 309, and it’s the only day in the whole run that scores as “expect good surf conditions.” The swell direction from the east-southeast aligns nicely with the optimum east direction for this point. It’ll be clean, with some proper shape, and consistent. Crowds are marked as “sometimes,” so there might be a few out, but it’s worth it. This is the standout of the first week.

Monday the 3rd drops back to 4ft and light winds, but the energy is weak (120) and it’s just ordinary. Then from Tuesday the 4th through Friday the 7th, we get a run of onshore or cross-onshore winds, with swell building to 7ft on the 4th and combined energy up to 570–743. That’s moderate to strong wave energy, but the wind is messy – onshore and choppy. Over 8ft on the 4th morning? That’s expert territory. With the onshore wind at a beach-and-reef setup like Point Lookout, this is looking more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. Definitely not for beginners.

Saturday the 8th and Sunday the 9th drop in size to 3–4ft, but the winds are strong onshore or cross-shore, with lumpy conditions. The swell periods get long, up to 14 seconds on the 9th, which is a groundswell, but with poor winds it’s just messy. The combined energy is still moderate to strong (259–534), but the quality isn’t there.

So, here’s the deal: If you’re keen, Sunday the 2nd of August is your best bet – clean 4ft east-southeast swell with moderate offshore winds. The later week has size but the wind ruins it. It’s a frustrating run overall, with a long flat gap from Monday to Wednesday, and then a week of wind-affected, lumpy conditions.

Stay hopeful though – forecasts can change.

Rusty

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