S-Turns Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright mates, Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s coming for the next couple of weeks. Honestly, the whole 16-day window is a bit of a struggle for decent surf. There’s a long stretch of small, weak swell and cross-off winds that just aren’t going to give us anything to write home about. There’s really only one day that might get the blood pumping, but it comes with a few headaches.

The first real pulse shows up on Wednesday the 5th of August. Wednesday afternoon sees a 5 ft swell from the NE with a short period of 9 seconds, and a moderate energy reading (334). The wind is a cross-off from the NE at 9 mph, which isn't ideal for S-Turns. It’s a reef break, so it’s an intermediate spot, but the short period and cross-off wind will make it a bit messy. It’s the best of a bad bunch for that day.

Then we hit a proper lull. From Thursday the 6th of August all the way through to Sunday the 16th of August, the swell stays tiny, mostly 0.7 ft to 2 ft, with weak energy. The wind stays consistently cross-off from the ENE at 15-19 mph, which is a real downer for a reef that needs clean offshore winds. The water temperature is about average for the time of year, so no surprises there.

The one standout is Monday the 17th of August. On Monday morning, we get a 5 ft swell from the NE, with a short period of 9 seconds and a strong energy reading of 416. Monday afternoon keeps it going with a solid 5 ft from the NE, 8-second period, and 345 energy. This is the biggest swell of the whole run. But the wind is still a cross-off from the ENE at 19 mph, which is a fresh breeze. For a reef break, a cross-off that strong makes it a rough, bumpy mess. It’s also a bit too big for beginners. It’s the only real pulse of the entire forecast, so it’s the best on offer, but it’s not a classic. The short period means the waves will be a bit fat and weak, not the long, clean lines you’d hope for.

After that, Tuesday the 18th and Wednesday the 19th of August are back to the small stuff with 1 ft and weak energy.

So, to be straight with you: if you have to paddle, the 17th of August is the only day that might be worth a look, but don’t expect a glassy session. The rest of the two weeks is a right-off for S-Turns. The conditions are more suited to a kite if you’re into that sort of thing. The crowds are listed as "sometimes" for S-Turns, so on that 17th, you might have a few others with the same idea, but it’s not going to be a zoo.

Rusty.

Read more