Publics Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get this out there. The next couple of weeks are looking a bit average for us, to be honest. There’s plenty of swell on the charts, but a lot of it is just not lining up with what we need here at Publics. It's a beach and reef set-up, exposed to a south-southeast swell, but we're seeing a lot of short-period, easterly wind-swell that just won't do us any favors.

The water is sitting at 81°, which is about normal for this time of year, so no worries there.

The first week is a write-off for anything decent. From Saturday the 8th through to the following Friday, we're looking at that cross-off wind and small, short-period swell. Saturday morning will have a small 2 ft SW swell, but it's a drop in the bucket. We'll see waves bumping up to 5 ft over the next few days, but the period is stuck down around 7-8 seconds with a strong cross-off breeze, making it messy and weak. There is a little pulse of south swell on Tuesday afternoon with a 3 ft swell and a 14-second period, and again on Wednesday with a 3 ft, 18-second period, but the size is just too small to get excited about. The energy is moderate, pushing into the 900s, but it's not translating into anything rideable. It's a frustrating stretch of nothing.

Then things get weird. The following Saturday, the 15th, is the big one. There is a massive pulse of east swell forecast to hit in the afternoon. We're talking 33 ft of swell with a 14-second period. The energy reading is a massive 40341, which is off the charts. But, this is way, way too big for Publics. At that size, it's not a wave, it's a washing machine. The wind and tide might be favorable, but it's a dangerous, crazy situation. It might be more interesting for the kite surfers than anyone with a paddle. The morning of that day is also huge, with nearly 20 ft of swell and near-gale winds. Stay well clear of the water.

After that beast, Sunday the 16th has some leftover juice. It's an 12 ft, 10-second SSE swell in the morning. That's still solid, but the quality is questionable, and it’s likely going to be a close-out mess. The energy is strong at 3572, but it’s just not a clean prospect.

The second week looks like it fades back to the usual. From Monday the 17th onwards, we see the swell dropping back down to under a meter, with a mix of S and S-SW swells with some longer periods. It’s not big enough to be worthwhile, and the poor conditions persist. Thursday the 20th has a small 4 ft ENE swell with a gentle breeze, and the comment says "expect good surf conditions," but that period is just 7 seconds, and it’s so small. It’s a tease, but with the winds easing, it might be your only chance to get wet and catch a few little crumbly ones. The following weekend is more of the same – small, short-period ENE wind-swell, occasionally bumping to 7 ft but with no power behind it.

So here's the deal. This isn't a blank run, but there is nothing that stands out as a must-surf session. The only real standout is that monster swell on the 15th, but that is not for us. It's for the tow crews and the crazy. For us, it's a long stretch of small, onshore slop. Hang tight, maybe fix some dings, and wait for the next proper south swell to line up. Forecasts can change, and it won't stay this poor forever.

Rusty

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