Rest Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, Rusty here. Bleak one for us, I’m not gonna dress it up. Right through this 16-day window, we’re looking at a real struggle for any kind of decent wave at Rest Bay. It’s a tough stretch.

Kicking off on Thursday the 3rd of September, we’ve got a bit of waist-high swell bumping in, 4ft to 5ft from the WSW with a short, weak 8-second period, but a fresh 19 mph onshore wind is just shredding it. The water’s sitting at 68°F which is much warmer than normal for this time of year, feels like a warm bath, but that’s where the good news ends. The combined energy is weak (190), and it’s just a mess.

Friday the 4th is more of the same, a little bigger at 5ft, but the wind is howling 22 mph from the W, making it completely unsurfable. The energy climbs a bit (368) but it’s all windslop. Saturday the 5th drops right off to 3ft, and although the wind eases, it’s still cross-onshore and the period is a pathetic 6 seconds. Not worth paddling out for.

Sunday the 6th gives us a tiny 1ft to 2ft, but the wind swings offshore (ESE) and it goes clean. The problem is there’s nothing to ride, with energy at just 20.

Then we get a bit of a tease on Monday the 7th. A real long-period groundswell hits, 5ft from the W at 13 seconds, and the energy is strong (859). But the wind is a nasty cross-onshore 16 mph, making it a choppy, lumpy mess. That long period would be perfect for the point, but the wind just ruins it. Same story on Tuesday the 8th with 6ft and strong energy (311), but again, 22 mph onshore winds, so it’s a write-off. This pattern continues all the way through to the 13th of September – there’s always some swell, but the wind is always wrong, mostly fresh cross-onshore or onshore.

Now, after a long gap of pure frustration, we finally get a tiny window. Monday the 14th, the morning session shows 3ft from the WSW with a 9-second period, and the wind goes light offshore (N at 3 mph). It’s clean, but it’s only just surfable. The energy is moderate (143). The best of a bad bunch is Tuesday the 15th of September. Morning glass, 3ft of WSW swell, 9-second period, and the energy is moderate (103). It’s small, but it’s glassy and clean. If you’re desperate for a paddle and a few small walls, that’s your moment. The crowds can be often here, so you might have company for those tiny waves.

After that, it fades fast. Wednesday the 16th drops to 1ft, and the rest of the window is just tiny, wind-affected dribble.

This is a blank run, plain and simple. The forecast is pretty locked in for bad conditions, so don’t get your hopes up. The one standout, if you can call it that, is Tuesday the 15th morning. It’s the only time the wind and swell line up for anything remotely clean. It’s not a classic, but it’s your only shot.

Rusty.

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