Rossbeigh Strand Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it for Rossbeigh Strand. The next couple of weeks look like a proper mixed bag, with only a few moments that are worth getting out of bed for. We’ve got a long stretch of small, messy slop before a couple of very big, tricky days show up, so patience is the name of the game.

The first real glimmer of something surfable arrives on Monday, 24 August. The morning brings a 3ft swell from the NW with a period of 11 seconds, giving it some decent push. The combined energy is moderate (297), and the wind is offshore from the east, making for clean lines. The swell direction is a bit off the optimum, but it’s a manageable size for the beginner-friendly setup here. This is probably the best on offer in the early days, but it’s nothing to write home about.

The afternoon of the 24th gets messy with a 16 mph cross-off wind, and the surf quality drops. Tuesday the 25th stays clean with offshore winds, but the swell drops back to 3ft – 3ft and the energy is weaker (153-183). It’s surfable, but very ordinary. Wednesday the 26th morning offers a glassy 4ft from the WNW, but the period is short (8 seconds), and the energy is still moderate (181). It’s a glide, not a grind.

After that, things go downhill fast. From Thursday the 27th right through to the end of August, the wind turns onshore or cross-onshore, and the swell gets lumpy and choppy. The swell height bumps up to 5ft – 6ft, but the wind wrecks it. The energy gets up there (up to 597), but it’s all wind-affected and messy. Not for the paddle crew. The setup actually looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing during this stretch.

We hit a weird lull in early September. Tuesday morning, 1 September, is a dud with 0.3ft, then the afternoon gets a massive 10ft, 9-second surge from the SW (energy 1400) but with a strong cross-on wind. It’s a big, choppy mess.

Now, the real standout – and it’s a proper cautionary tale – is Wednesday, 2 September. The morning brings a 18ft swell from the WSW with a 12-second period. The combined energy is an enormous 9726. The wind is a clean, cross-off from the SSE. Sounds perfect, right? The catch is that the swell is simply too big for this break. This is a warning for experienced surfers only, and even then, it’s going to be a washing machine. The afternoon is similar, with a 15ft swell, still too big. The same goes for Thursday, 3 September, with 12ft swell and a period of 11 seconds. The energy is over 2400. These days are for experts and those who know the bank intimately. The size is intimidating.

After that, the whole thing fizzles out to tiny, 0.7ft – 2ft leftovers with poor conditions through the end of the forecast window.

So, to sum it up: the best bet for a clean, manageable wave is Monday morning, 24 August. The 3ft with offshore wind is the pick of the litter. The huge swell on 2 and 3 September is a once-in-a-while spectacle, but it’s a beast that will swallow you whole. Stay safe out there.

Rusty.

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