Rainbow Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what Rainbow Bay has in store for us over the next couple of weeks. It’s a bit of a slow burn, so don’t expect fireworks right away.

The week kicks off pretty flat and uninspiring. Wednesday the 29th and Thursday the 30th are basically a write-off with tiny, weak waves and messy conditions. We're looking at tiny swell under 2ft with poor energy (combined energy a measly 57). You’d be wasting your time paddling out.

Things start to show a little life on Friday morning the 31st. We get a bump of 4ft from the south with moderate offshore winds from the south. The wave energy picks up to moderate (365), but the quality is still just ordinary. Saturday the 1st is a mixed bag – a clean 3ft morning with light offshores, but it gets a bit messy later. The water temp is sitting at 69°, which is bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

Now, Sunday the 2nd is where it gets interesting. We’ve got a solid 5ft swell from the SSE, with a nice 10-second period on it. The combined energy jumps to a strong 619, and it stays clean with a gentle cross-off breeze. This is your first real look at some decent, surfable waves. Monday the 3rd keeps that energy going with similar 4ft swell, but the winds switch around and get a little crossy in the arvo.

The real standout, the one I’d circle on the calendar, is Tuesday morning the 11th of August. We’ve got a 5ft groundswell rolling in from the south, and the wind is dead glassy – dead calm. That’s a rare treat at Rainbow Bay. The water will be like a mirror, and those south pulses will wrap in nicely. Conditions will be absolutely pristine for a point break. Just keep in mind, Rainbow Bay is often a popular spot, so expect some company in the water. For the advanced crew, the swell builds in the afternoon to 6ft, but the wind swings cross-on, so the morning is definitely the pick.

Later in the second week, on Thursday the 13th of August, things get wild but not in a good way for paddle surfing. A massive 12ft swell from the SSE shows up, packing very strong wave energy of 2584. But with a strong onshore wind, it’s going to be a choppy, blown-out mess. For a sheltered point like Rainbow Bay, that setup looks a lot more fun for the kite surfers than it does for us on a log or a shortboard.

So, to wrap it up: the first few days are a dud, Sunday the 2nd gets things rolling, and that glassy Tuesday morning the 11th is the one to chase.

Stay stoked,
Rusty.

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