Publics Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cooking for the Publics stretch over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, Friday morning the 21st of August is a bit of a slow starter. We’ve got a tiny 2ft SW groundswell rolling in with a long 17-second period, but the wind is light and cross-shore, so it’s clean. The water is a balmy 80°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there. The overall energy is weak (321), so don’t expect much push. By Friday afternoon, it cleans up a touch more with a cross-offshore breeze, but size is still tiny.

Saturday the 22nd is a write-off. The wind cranks up to 22-25 mph from the ENE, and while the swell is still 2ft, the wind is just too strong. The energy kicks up into the moderate range (474-527), but it’s not surfable for a paddle. Honestly, with that much wind and a clean, exposed beach-and-reef setup, this looks more like a kite-surfing session than a day for a log.

Sunday the 23rd is even worse. The swell jumps to 6ft, but it’s short-period 7-second wind chop from the ENE, and the wind is still howling at 25 mph. The energy is strong (618), but conditions are poor. Same story Monday the 24th – the wind stays up, the swell is a mix of small SSW groundswell and messy short-period stuff. The energy is moderate (278-387), but the wind is relentless.

We’ve got a big gap here. Honestly, from Saturday the 22nd right through to the end of the month, the wind is a constant problem. The best you’ll get is marginal surf – mostly 2ft to 5ft, but always with a fresh breeze from the ENE. The water stays warm, but the wind just won’t let up. The energy starts to climb, especially on the 27th (1012) and 28th (966), but the wind is always cross-offshore and strong, so the waves are clean but blown out.

Now, hold onto your board. The standout here is Monday the 31st of August. The swell jumps to 10ft from the ENE, and the period is a solid 11 seconds. The energy is massive (2133), and by Monday afternoon the wind turns offshore from the NE at 19 mph. That’s proper juice. This is a big, powerful swell – easily too big for beginners. That 12ft afternoon peak with offshore wind is going to be meaty, and the public break is going to be absolutely packed. Expect crowds for sure.

Tuesday the 1st of September keeps the size at 10ft, but the wind goes nuclear – 28 mph in the morning and 31 mph in the afternoon. That’s not surfable for a paddle, it’s survival. The energy is still huge (2398-1786), but the wind is just too strong.

Things settle down after that. Wednesday the 2nd through to Saturday the 5th of September sees the swell drop from 7ft to 5ft, and the wind backs off to lighter breezes. The energy is moderate (700-931), and the wind is cross-offshore or light cross-shore, so the surf will be clean but not epic. The period is short (8-12 seconds), so it’s a bit of a mixed bag. The best of this second week is probably Friday the 4th with a 6ft ENE swell and light ESE wind, but it’s not a standout.

So, bottom line: the first week is a washout for most days. The real magic is on Monday the 31st of August. That big ENE groundswell with offshore wind is the one to circle on the calendar. It’s a long-range call, so fingers crossed it holds, but if it does, it’ll be a proper session. The rest of the second week is better than the first, but nothing to write home about.

Rusty.

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