Ruby Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's talk about what's on the menu for Ruby Bay.

Right off the bat, I've got to be straight with you: this is a tough stretch. The whole 16-day window is looking pretty grim for Ruby Bay. It's a sheltered point break that rarely breaks anyway, and unfortunately, that's the story here. You'll be looking at a long stretch of nothing much.

The water is sitting at 53°F, which is a little under two degrees Fahrenheit cooler than usual for this time of year – nothing too wild, just a bit nippy.

Let's start from the beginning. From Saturday the 15th of August all the way through the morning of Sunday the 23rd, it's a dead loss. We're talking a full 8 days of no surf to speak of, with tiny, weak swells that don't have any energy. The swell energy is a measly 1 (1) for most of that time, and even when it climbs a bit, it's still just a rippled pond. The wind is often offshore or glassy, which is normally a good sign, but there's just no swell to work with. It's a frustrating wait.

Then, on the morning of Sunday the 23rd of August, things get a little interesting, but not in a good way for a paddle surfer. We've got a swell of about 5ft coming from the north with a 8-second period. The combined energy climbs to 252 (252), which is moderate, but it's accompanied by light rain. The waves are surfable, but the conditions are "very ordinary" as the data says. It's a beach-and-reef setup, so with a bit of size and poor quality, this might be more for the kite surfers than us.

After that, it's back to the desert. From Monday the 24th through to the morning of Friday the 28th of August, we're scraping the bottom of the barrel again. A few tiny pulses of swell, but nothing that would even get you out of bed. The energy is low, barely cracking 100 (100) on the rare occasions it's there.

Now, the only real standout in the whole 16 days is the morning of Saturday the 29th of August. I'm talking about it now because it's a week and a half away. The forecast shows a swell of about 5ft from the north-northwest with a solid 11-second period. The combined energy is a strong 517 (517). The wind is a light cross-offshore from the south-southwest, which should keep the surface clean. The data says "expect good surf conditions." This is the one. It's a promising window, but keep in mind it's a long-range call, so don't book the day off work just yet. The only downside is that for a point break like Ruby Bay, a 5ft north-northwest swell with a longer period could be a bit big for beginners, and it might be a bit fat and close out. But for anyone with a bit of experience, it's the best chance we've got.

The morning of Sunday the 30th of August does have glassy conditions and a clean look, but the swell drops back to about 2ft from the north, with only 80 (80) energy. It's a tease.

So, bottom line: this is a tough 16 days for Ruby Bay. The only real hope is that Saturday the 29th of August morning window. Everything else is a write-off. Keep your eye on that date, and check the forecast closer to the time. As always, things can change.

Rusty.

Read more