Royal Palms State Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you: the next 16 days at Royal Palms State Beach are a tough watch if you’re looking for a proper surf. This is a sheltered reef and point that’s inconsistent at the best of times, and this run is mostly flat, messy or just plain frustrating. The water is running at 72.3°F on Thursday the 27th, which is a whopping 6.1°F warmer than normal for this time of year – pretty unusual, you’ll be in for a warm dip at least.

The first couple of days throw up some small, weak swell but the wind is all wrong. Thursday afternoon (27 August) has 2ft of S swell at 11 seconds with a cross-onshore 9 mph W breeze. It’s choppy and poor. Friday morning (28 August) sees a bit more period – 17 seconds out of the SSW on 2ft – but that light S wind keeps it crossed-up. The combined energy is weak to moderate at best (273 on Friday morning), but the surf quality is rubbish. Don’t bother.

Saturday the 29th morning has the swell nudging 2.6ft from the SSW at 17 seconds, and the energy bumps up to 426 (moderate), but it’s onshore with a SW breeze. By the afternoon the wind swings west at 12 mph and it’s choppy again. Sunday the 30th is much the same – 2.6ft, 14-15 second SSW swell, but cross-onshore or onshore wind. The water’s still mild, but the conditions are just not there.

Through the week of the 31st August to 4th September, the swell dips and spikes but never gets clean. On Thursday the 3rd, the morning shows a foot bigger at 3.3ft from the SSW, period 12 seconds, but it’s onshore SW wind again. The energy hits 507 in the afternoon, but that’s a cross-onshore mess. Friday the 4th morning finally gives us a little hope – glassy conditions with a light 3 mph SSW breeze on 2.3ft, 17-second SSW groundswell. The energy’s 466 (moderate). It’s rated as marginal though, tide might mess it. That’s the best we’ve seen, but it’s still a stretch.

Then we hit a long gap. From Friday afternoon the 4th right through to Tuesday the 8th, it’s all poor surf – cross-onshore winds, choppy, and small. Not worth paddling out.

Tuesday the 8th September morning is the only real stand-out in this whole 16-day window. You’ll get a glassy 1.6ft swell from the SW, but get this – the period is 18 seconds, a very long groundswell. The wind is absolutely dead calm from the WNW at 3 mph, so it’s sheet glass. The combined energy is 323 (moderate). For this spot, light wind and a long-period SW swell is about as good as it can get – the point will start to groom those lines. It’s surfable but very ordinary, so keep expectations in check. Crowds are possible here sometimes, so with a rare glassy day, expect company. The period is long, so on a beach break it might straighten out, but on this reef and point it should wrap in nicely.

After that, it’s back to small, crossed-up, and forgettable through to the 11th September. The swell direction flicks to SW, the wind keeps blowing on or cross-on, and energy levels sag. There’s no saving grace in the second week, sorry.

Honestly, if you’re desperate for a wave, that Tuesday morning is your only real shot. Otherwise, the kites might have a better time with the afternoon seabreezes later in the period, but for a paddle surfer? It’s a lean fortnight.

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