Raffs Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty again. Let’s switch to feet and miles for the crew that thinks in inches and knots.

So, for Raffs Beach, the surf’s a bit of a slow starter. The first decent session you can actually call a session is Thursday morning, August 27th. Water temp’s about 56°, which is average for the time of year—nothing wild there.

Tuesday morning, August 25th, we get a clean 6ft SW swell rolling in on a long 13-second period. The combined energy is 1228 (moderate wave energy). Wind’s from the NNW at only 3 mph and offshore, so it’s glassy. The forecast says it’s for experienced surfers though, which is a bit odd for a beginner break. Tuesday afternoon gets choppy with a cross-onshore breeze. Wednesday the 26th is a total dud—gusty cross-onshore then onshore wind at 12 mph, and the quality goes to zero.

Thursday morning, August 27th: the swell drops to 2ft, but it’s that long-period SW groundswell (12 seconds) with a nice NW cross-off breeze at 6 mph. Energy’s low at 352 (weak energy), so it’s small but clean—grab the longboard. Friday the 28th is sloppy: cross-onshore winds and a solid 5ft to 6ft swell with combined energy climbing to 1484 then 1781 (strong). Not worth it.

Saturday morning, August 29th, is the first real standout: 5ft of SW groundswell with a 14-second period, and the wind is WNW cross-off at 6 mph. Energy sits at 915 (moderate). Clean, long-period waves, and the break handles that SW exposure nicely.

Now the big one. Sunday morning, August 30th, rolls in with a solid 7ft SW swell, 17-second period, and a light SW cross-onshore at 6 mph. The combined energy is massive at 3932 (strong wave energy). Crowds can show up “sometimes,” so expect company. This is expert territory—over 5ft is getting heavy. That long period means power and nice shape, but at a beach setup you might get some wonky lines. Still, if you’ve got the skills, this morning is the absolute best of the first week.

Monday, August 31st, keeps the momentum: 7ft SW swell with a 16-second period, and the wind is pure NNE offshore at 6 mph. Energy’s at 2647 (strong). Both morning and afternoon are clean. Tuesday, September 1st, drops to 5ft but the afternoon has a 9 mph NW cross-off breeze and clean conditions (energy 1057). Wednesday the 2nd is another clean morning with a 9 mph NNW offshore (energy 905). Good run here.

Jumping to the second week, Saturday, September 5th, you’ve got a 7ft SW groundswell with a 14-second period, and a NW cross-off breeze at 6 mph. Energy is 1780 (strong). That’s clean and excellent for experienced surfers. But Saturday afternoon the model throws up a monster 12ft WSW swell—combined energy 9284—which is way too big for this break. Same with Sunday the 6th: a 10ft SW swell (energy 3554). If you’re kiting, that’s paradise, but for paddle surfing it’s a massive risk.

The best bets? Saturday morning, August 30th (7ft, 17 seconds) and Saturday morning, September 5th (7ft, 14 seconds). Both have clean wind, solid energy, and that’s where the magic is.

Rusty.

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