Rat Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s happening at Rat Beach.

Honestly, for the next couple of weeks, it’s a pretty flat and frustrating stretch. The surf is tiny, the wind is often messy, and nothing is lining up for a proper session. There are a few windows where it cleans up, but the energy is so weak that you’ll be scratching for anything rideable.

First up, Friday 14th August – small swell at 2ft from the SW with a long 15-second period, but it’s cross and cross-on wind all day. The water is 72°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year – feels weird, like summer has hung on. That’s a 6° anomaly, very unusual. But the surf is poor with combined wave energy only 104 – weak.

Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th August are worse – swell drops to a pathetic 2ft with periods around 3-5 seconds, and wind stays cross-on choppy. You’re looking at combined energy as low as 7 to 33 – barely a ripple.

Monday 17th August morning has a touch more size at 3ft but still weak (energy 51) and cross winds. Afternoon is choppy again.

Tuesday 18th August morning is the first time things clean up slightly – a cross-off wind, clean face, swell 2ft from the W, 8-second period. The combined energy creeps up to 69, so you could flop around on a foamie, but it’s still very ordinary.

The pattern continues through to the end of August – tiny waves, mostly 1.0ft to 2ft, with occasional cleaner mornings (like 20th, 21st, 24th, 25th August mornings) where the wind goes light and cross-off. But the swell is barely there, and energy stays below 100 most days.

One glimmer: Friday 28th August morning sees a bump to 4ft from the W with a 7-second period, combined energy 138 – moderate. The wind is light cross, so it’ll be small and slopey but possibly fun for a beginner on a longboard. Afternoon jumps to 4ft, energy 254, but the wind swings cross-on and makes it choppy.

Saturday 29th August morning has a genuine offshore breeze (SE at 9 mph) and clean 2ft waves from the W, but energy is only 38 – barely enough to push you.

Best on offer? Honestly, Friday 28th August morning is the standout. It’s the biggest swell in the whole run at 4ft from the W, light wind, and moderate energy. It’s a reef break so that long-period (7 seconds is short, but energy carries), but the crowd profile says “sometimes” so you might have company. Still, for Rat Beach, that’s as good as it gets in this window. The 4ft is fine for beginners, not intimidating.

After that, maybe Tuesday 18th August morning or Thursday 27th August morning for clean, surfable but very ordinary conditions – just don’t expect much ride length.

Given the inconsistency (this break rarely lights up), a long blank run like this is not surprising. Keep an eye on the swell charts if you’re keen, but for now, the board stays in the shed.

Rusty.

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