Rainbow Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s on the cards for Rainbow Bay.

Straight up, these next few weeks are a mixed bag. We’ve got a bit of a wait for anything decent, and there’s a big hole in the middle where the surf just isn’t worth paddling out for. But if you’re patient, there’s a real cracker of a day on the horizon.

The first real chance to wet a line comes on Thursday morning, 27th August. We’ve got a 5ft SSE swell pushing in with a clean offshore wind from the south. The water is sitting at 69°F which is about normal for this time of year, so no need to dig out the 5/4. The swell period is a short 7 seconds, so it’ll be a bit lumpy and won’t have much push, but it’s surfable if you’re keen. The combined energy is moderate (322).

Things get a bit more interesting on Sunday morning, 30th August. The swell bumps up to 6ft from the SSE, period lengthens to 10 seconds, and we’ve got clean offshore winds from the south. The wave energy is strong (633) – you’ll feel the extra oomph. This is the pick of the first week. It’s still a point break setup, so the longer period will help with shape, and it’s fairly consistent. Just be aware, crowds are often a thing here.

Then we hit a dry spell. From Monday afternoon the 31st through to the end of the first week, and right through the second week, it’s a grim run of small, weak, and onshore slop. Swell sizes drop below 3ft, the wind is mostly onshore or cross-onshore from the north, and the energy readings are pitiful. You’ll be looking at a solid 8-day stretch of poor surf, right up until the 7th of September.

Now, for the one true standout. Monday morning, 7th September. This is the one to circle on the calendar. We’ve got an 8ft S swell rolling in with a long 11-second period from the south. The combined energy is massive at 2071. The wind is a light, clean cross-offshore from the ESE. This is excellent surf, but it’s big – too big for beginners. Only experienced surfers should be out there. At that size, the point will handle the energy well, but expect it to be powerful. This is a promising long-range call, but as always, keep an eye on it as it gets closer.

After that, the swell drops off quickly and we’re back to small, weak conditions for the rest of the forecast.

So, in short: the first week has a few okay windows, with Sunday the 30th being the best of that bunch. Then a long, flat gap. Then Monday the 7th of September is your real target – a big, clean swell for the experts.

Rusty.

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