Rainbow Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for Rainbow Bay over the next couple of weeks.

Honestly, the start of this run is pretty grim. We’re looking at a stretch of small, weak waves with poor conditions for the first few days. Don’t even bother waxing up for Saturday the 22nd or Sunday the 23rd – just a dribble of 3ft ENE swell with a short 7-8 second period and not enough energy behind it. The combined energy is under 100 (84-99), which is about as weak as it gets. It’s a lake out there, not a surf break.

Monday the 24th sees the energy tick up a little (205) with a 3ft swell, but conditions are still very ordinary. This is the story for most of the first week – wave energy slowly builds from the low 100s to the high 200s, but the swell stays small and messy. The wind flips around a lot, and while we get some clean windows on the 27th and 28th mornings, the waves are still only around the 4ft to 5ft mark. Not worth the paddle.

We do see a bit more size arrive on Saturday the 29th. The swell pushes to 6ft with energy at 367, and the morning is glassy. It’s still not firing, but it’s the first time the bay looks semi-interesting. That’s short-lived though.

Then, here’s the kicker – the 31st of August. The swell jumps to 8ft from the ESE, and the energy rockets to 858, but it’s a complete washout. Heavy rain and a fresh cross-shore breeze will have it lumpy and choppy. The water’s going to be messy, and that kind of size at a sheltered point with the wrong wind is just a chore. Not the one.

The first real highlight of the period doesn’t show up until Tuesday the 1st of September. The morning is still ordinary, but Tuesday afternoon the wind drops to glass, the swell is 5ft from the east, and the energy climbs to 418. It’s clean and glassy, and for the first time, the bay is actually looking like a surf spot.

Now, if you want the standout, that’s Wednesday the 2nd of September. This is the one. We’ve got a 5ft east swell with an 11-second period, which gives it some proper push. The energy is up at 612 – that’s a solid, moderate pulse. More importantly, the wind is a gentle offshore from the SSE in the morning, meaning it’ll be clean and lined up. Rainbow Bay (Gold Coast) is a point break, and this is exactly the kind of long-period groundswell that suits it – the waves will wrap around and hold their shape. This is your pick of the first half, no question. The morning is best; the afternoon gets a bit fresh with the offshore wind picking up to 19 mph.

After that, things back off again. The 3rd and 4th of September are mixed, with the swell bouncing around 5-6ft but the conditions are either average or blown out.

Then, hold on to your boardies for Saturday the 5th of September. This is the big one, but it’s a week and a half away, so file it under “promising but keep your fingers crossed.” The morning sees 7ft of south swell with energy at 941, and the wind is offshore. That’s already good. But the afternoon is where it gets serious – the swell jumps to 8ft from the south at 9 seconds, and the energy surges to 1241. That’s strong, very strong. With a light offshore breeze and clean conditions, this will be a proper day for the experienced crew. At 8ft, this is expert territory – it’s going to be powerful. This is the standout of the whole outlook.

Sunday the 6th backs right off again, down to a 4ft SSE swell and energy at 243.

So, to wrap it up: the first week is a write-off. Don’t get excited. The best early call is Wednesday the 2nd. Save your energy for the 5th, though – that’s the day that could be something special.

Rusty.

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