Rest Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here with a look at the next 16 days. Let's be real, this stretch is a tough one for Rest Bay. It's a beach and point setup, pretty exposed to the southwest, but the wind and swell just aren't lining up to give us anything rideable. With the water temp sitting at 68° coming in a very unusual 7° warmer than normal for this time of year, you might be tempted to get in for a dip, but not for a surf.

We're looking at a long, dry spell. From Tuesday the 25th right through to the end of August, it's a no-go. The swell is barely a ripple, with the combined energy of all swells directed here hitting tiny numbers like 4 and 13. Even when a little 1 ft swell shows up on Wednesday afternoon, the period is a short 8 seconds, and the wind is all wrong. It's just poor surf conditions across the board.

Into the first week of September, things get a bit more active, but not in a good way. The swell builds, but it's all onshore wind. You'll see 6 ft on Saturday the 29th with a strong 22 mph onshore wind (combined energy of 234), and it gets worse. By Monday the 31st, we’ve got a 6 ft swell and a 25 mph cross-onshore making a mess of things (combined energy of 761). This pattern continues right through the first week of September. For a beach and point setup with this much wind and chop, this is honestly looking more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

There is a moment in the second week that catches the eye. On Monday the 7th of September, we finally see a change. The morning brings a 6 ft swell from the WSW with a clean, cross-offshore breeze from the NNE at 19 mph. The combined energy of all swells is a solid 655. That's a big chunk of energy, and with the wind finally cooperating, the surf should be clean and powerful. But keep in mind, at 6 ft it's pushing out of beginner territory, and the period is a short 8 seconds, so it won't have the punch of a groundswell. The clear skies and clean conditions will be a welcome sight. The afternoon hangs in there with a 7 ft swell from the west, but the wind goes cross-shore, so the morning is the window.

After that, things drop off again. Tuesday the 8th is tiny, and Wednesday the 9th brings up another 5 ft swell with a longer 10-second period (combined energy of 544), but the wind is cross-onshore, making it choppy.

So, the honest truth is there's only one real standout in this whole 16-day outlook. If you want to get wet, you're waiting for Monday morning, the 7th of September. It's a long way out, so the forecast could shift, but right now that's the one clean, solid window. Otherwise, the rest of the stretch is a write-off.

Rusty.

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