Portwrinkle Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty, and I’ve had a look at the surf ahead for the Portwrinkle stretch.

Right off the bat, I’ll be straight with you – this is a tough run. The first week and a half is pretty much a write-off. We’ve got a long, frustrating gap before anything worthwhile shows up. The first real chance doesn’t come until Monday afternoon, 31 August, and even that’s only a marginal option. After that, the surf gods seem to go quiet again for another long stretch until we get a promising but distant standout on Friday, 11 September.

Let’s break it down. Starting Thursday, 27 August, through to the morning of Monday, 31 August, it’s all poor surf conditions. The swell is tiny, the wind is cross-on or worse, and it’s messy. That Saturday, 29 August, sees the biggest swell of the early period, with heights hitting 10 ft from the SW and a period of 8 seconds, but the wind is a strong cross-shore at 28 mph, making it a total mess. The combined wave energy is a massive 1065, but it’s not rideable for surfing – honestly, that setup would be more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

The afternoon of Monday, 31 August, brings a glimmer: a 7 ft SW swell with a long 10-second period, and the wind goes cross-off from the WNW at 16 mph, cleaning things up. The combined energy is 1066, and the wave comment says “marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions.” It’s a sniff of quality, but the winds are still a moderate breeze, and it’s just a 2/10 score. It’s the only real option in that first week, and it’s a gamble.

Then we hit another dry spell. Tuesday, 01 September, through to Thursday, 03 September, is all poor surf with tiny swell and bumpy, cross-onshore winds. The morning of Friday, 04 September, offers a brief moment with a 4 ft SW swell, 8-second period, and a light offshore wind from the NW at 3 mph, making for clean conditions. The combined energy is 150, and it’s marked as “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions” – a 1/10. It’s clean, but the waves are average.

The next standout doesn’t come until Friday, 11 September, in the morning. That’s when we see a 8 ft SW swell with a 9-second period, and the wind is a light cross-off from the NE at 6 mph, keeping it clean. The combined energy is a strong 1182, and the wave comment says “expect very good surf conditions,” scoring a 3/10. This is the best of the bunch, but it’s a long way out – over a week – so treat it as promising but not locked in. The optimum swell direction for Portwrinkle is SW, and this matches perfectly.

Now, a word on Portwrinkle itself. It’s a reef break that’s fairly exposed to the SW, but it’s inconsistent – it rarely breaks well. The water temperature is about average for the time of year, nothing unusual. Crowds can be often, so if you’re heading out on that 11 September window, expect some company.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a dud. Monday afternoon, 31 August, is a marginal punt. Friday, 04 September, offers clean but ordinary waves. The real standout is Friday, 11 September, with a solid SW swell and clean conditions – mark it in your calendar, but keep an eye on the forecast.

Rusty.

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