Red Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it. This is Rusty, and I’m looking at the forecast for Red Beach. Just a heads up, we’re staring down the barrel of a long, flat spell here. The next real smile of a wave is a long way off, so don’t hold your breath.

For the first week and a half, it’s a complete write-off. We’re talking Tuesday the 18th of August right through to the 29th of August with nothing but knee-high dribble and junky conditions. You’ll see a few tiny pulses, but the wind is all over the shop or the swell is just too pathetic. It’s a dead zone for paddling. Honestly, the setup looks way more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing during this stretch.

The first time you might want to even look at the ocean is the morning of Saturday the 29th of August. Even then, it’s only 1 ft of swell from the NNE, with a period of 9 seconds. The wind is offshore from the WSW at 9 mph, so it’ll be clean and glassy. The combined energy is a weak 60, so it’s tiny, but it’s surfable. The water temperature is about 57°F, which is pretty normal for this time of year.

The real standout, and the only one worth marking on your calendar, comes on Monday the 31st of August into Tuesday the 1st of September. Monday afternoon sees the swell bump up to 6 ft from the NNE, but it’s a short-period 6-second wind swell with a combined energy of 311. The wind is light cross-onshore from the NE at 6 mph, so it’s not terrible, but it’s not glassy. The wave comment says "marginal", so don’t expect perfection. This swell is still a bit too big for beginners, and the short period will make it a bit dumpy and hard to read.

By Tuesday morning the 1st of September, the swell pushes to 5 ft from the N, still with a short 8-second period, but the combined energy jumps to 562. The wind stays light cross-onshore from the NE. This is your best window, but it’s only for experienced surfers. The size and the onshore component will make it a challenge. Red Beach is a fairly exposed beach, so it’ll be a bit of a mess, but there will be waves.

The tail end of the forecast on Wednesday the 2nd of September drops back to 4 ft from the NNE, with a period of 8 seconds and combined energy of 221. The wind switches to a light offshore from the WNW, making it clean. The afternoon even gets a slight offshore breeze at 3 mph. It’s smaller and cleaner, but still just surfable.

So, to sum it up: there’s a long, flat gap until the 29th of August. The best surf on offer is the swell around Monday the 31st of August and Tuesday the 1st of September, but it’s a short-period, cross-onshore mess for experts only. Keep your expectations low and your wax soft.

Rusty.

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