Pondalowie Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s talk about Pondalowie Bay. It’s a reef break that’s fairly consistent, exposed to a WSW swell, but there’s a bit of a wait before the money starts rolling in. The water’s about 59°F, normal for the time of year.

First decent wave comes Wednesday morning, 26 August. We’ve got a 5ft SW groundswell at 13 seconds, with glassy conditions and a light NW air. The combined energy is moderate (877). It’s a clean start, but the real highlight’s a bit later.

The morning of Wednesday 26 August is the best early window. That 5ft SW swell, glassy, makes for a good session. Crowds are often here, so expect some company.

Thursday 27 August turns messy with cross-on wind. Friday 28 August morning has a 7ft SW swell at 16 seconds, but it’s cross-shore and chunky. The afternoon of Friday 28 August, though, is a ripper. We get 7ft SW groundswell at 16 seconds, glassy, and strong energy (2087). That’s for the experienced crew – too big for beginners.

Saturday 29 August has a clean offshore morning with 5ft SW swell, and Sunday 30 August is the real deal. The morning has a 3ft SW swell at a very long 20 seconds, with clean offshore wind – perfect for the reef. The afternoon pumps up to 5ft SW at 18 seconds, still offshore, and the energy is strong (1859). That Sunday afternoon is the absolute standout. Get on it.

Monday 31 August gets lumpy with cross and cross-on winds, then we hit a rough patch. From Tuesday 1 September through the end of the first week, it’s mostly poor with strong cross-on winds. There’s a brief clean window on Wednesday morning 2 September with 5ft SW at 15 seconds and glassy conditions (energy 1134), but it’s short-lived.

The second week has a few gems. Sunday 6 September is marginal with 8ft SW swell and cross-on wind, but Monday 7 September morning is a beaut. We’ve got 8ft SW groundswell at 14 seconds, glassy, and strong energy (2497) – experts only. Then Tuesday 8 September is another standout. The morning has 8ft SW at a very long 18 seconds, clean offshore wind, and strong energy (3345). The afternoon keeps it clean with 7ft SW at 17 seconds. This is big, clean.

Wednesday 9 September and Thursday 10 September get messy. Thursday 10 September has a massive 12ft SW swell, but it’s too big for this break, even with good wind. That’s kite surfing, not paddle.

So, the pick of the bunch is Sunday 30 August for the long-period groundswell and clean offshore, and Tuesday 8 September for the big, clean swell. Both for the experienced.

Rusty.

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