Rainbow Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's cookin' for Rainbow Bay over the next couple of weeks.

Overall, it's a bit of a mixed bag with no real epic standouts, but there are a couple of windows where the stars align for a decent session. The first proper week is a bit of a struggle with a lot of ordinary to poor conditions, but the end of the first week and into the second offers a couple of glimmers. There’s a significant gap from around the 24th of August right through to the 28th where it gets really small before a late pulse of long-period groundswell arrives.

Right, starting off this Saturday, the 15th of August, we’ve got some waves on offer with a 5-foot south swell, period of 7 seconds. The combined swell energy is 250 (moderate), and the water temp is about 68°F, which is pretty normal for this time of year. Winds are offshore from the south, so it should be clean, but the reports call it "very ordinary"; the short period and moderate wind mean it's not going to be anything special.

The next few days, from Sunday the 16th through Tuesday the 18th, we're seeing the swell pick up a touch, up to 6 feet or even 7 feet out of the SSE and ESE. The combined energy builds into the 400-530 range (moderate). However, the winds are cross-offshore or cross-shore, keeping things from being truly glassy. Conditions are only described as "marginal" or "very ordinary". The short 7-8 second period means these waves won't have much shape or power, so expect a bit of a mess.

Now, here's our first real standout. Wednesday the 19th of August brings a change. The swell drops a bit to 5 feet, but the period jumps to a very long 11 seconds. That's groundswell energy, lads. The combined energy shoots right up to 597-730 (moderate to strong). With a light southerly breeze giving offshore conditions in the morning, this is the cleanest the waves will look for a while. This is your best bet for a quality session in the first week. The longer period will reel in nicely at Rainbow Bay, a sheltered point break, but be aware it's often crowded and is a fairly consistent break.

After that little window, things go downhill. The swell drops right off through the 20th to the 25th, with heights falling from 4 feet down to a pathetic 1 feet. The wind is mostly onshore or cross-shore, and the combined energy plummets into the 100s and even down to 38. There are a few glassy mornings on the 24th and 25th, but the swell is simply too small to be worth paddling out for. This is the big gap I mentioned – from about the 21st through the 26th, it's a dead zone.

Just when you think it's all over, we get another pulse. Saturday the 29th of August looks promising. A 3-foot swell from the ESE, but with an excellent 11-second period and north-northwest winds so light it’s glassy. The combined energy is 458 (moderate). That's a gorgeous setup for a clean, fun morning session on the point, and it's the second real highlight. The Sunday the 30th also has a glassy morning with a 4-foot swell and a 10-second period, but the energy is a bit less and the shape might not be as good.

So, my call for Rainbow Bay: keep Wednesday the 19th circled on the calendar for a good quality session of long-period swell, and have another look at the 29th for some glassy morning fun. The rest of the time, you're better off waxing the longboard and watching the horizon.

Rusty.

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