Red Strand (Dirk Bay) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you: this 16-day stretch for Red Strand (Dirk Bay) is a tough one. The swell is tiny and the overall energy is weak, never really building into anything worth paddling for. We’re looking at a long, quiet period with no real standouts, so temper your expectations.

We start off Thursday, August 20th, with some small, long-period groundswell from the SSW. We’re talking about 1ft on a 15-second period, but the combined energy is a measly 66, so it’s barely pushing through. The wind is a cross-off from the NNW, keeping the surface clean, but it’s just not enough to get excited about. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so nothing unusual there.

Friday, August 21st, is more of the same. The swell drops to about 0.7ft in the morning, still with a lovely long 16-second period, but the energy is only 45. The wind swings offshore from the N, which is a good sign for clean faces, but the size is just too small. Saturday and Sunday offer a little bump to about 1ft, but the energy stays weak (80 and 70 respectively), and the wind shifts around, mixing in some cross-off and cross-on conditions. The surf is clean but tiny.

The next week, from Monday, August 24th, through to the end of the month, is honestly a write-off. There’s a brief pulse of short-period ESE swell on Monday reaching about 4ft, but the period is a pathetic 5 seconds, and the energy is only 115. The wind is a fresh cross-shore, making it lumpy and messy. It’s the kind of day that might look more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer, if you’re into that sort of thing. The rest of the week is a mix of tiny SSW swell, strong winds, and rain. The combined energy dips into the 20s and 30s most days – you’d be better off taking a walk.

The start of September is a little more promising, but still nothing to write home about. On the 1st, we get a tiny 0.7ft SSW swell with a very long 18-second period, but the energy is only 42. By the 2nd, Wednesday morning, conditions turn glassy with a 1ft SSW swell, but again, it’s just too small to ride with any enthusiasm. The long-period groundswell is better suited for a point or reef break anyway, and at a sheltered spot like this, it just doesn't have the push.

The final few days into September 4th are a repeat: tiny swell, strong cross-off winds, and clean conditions, but no power. The combined energy sits around 60, meaning it’s a flat spell.

So, the honest truth is there’s no standout window here. If you absolutely have to get wet, your best bet is the glassy, clean morning of Wednesday, September 2nd, or any of the clean, offshore mornings with the 1ft to 1ft SSW swell. But even then, you’ll be on a longboard, fighting for a dribble. It’s a quiet run for the Dirk Bay area, and that’s just how it goes sometimes. Forecasts can change, but for now, it’s a waiting game.

Rusty

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