Saint Annes Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, it's Rusty here. Let's be straight with you—this Saint Annes (reef) outlook is a bit of a tough one. The 16-day window is mostly a write-off for decent waves, but there's a single, interesting window right at the end that's worth a mention.

The first real standout, and the only session I'd really get excited about, is on Monday the 31st of August. The stars briefly align for a glassy morning. We're looking at a 3ft SSW swell with a solid 16-second period, which is that long-period groundswell that these reefs love. The combined energy sits at 843 (moderate), and with the wind dead calm and glassy, it'll be the cleanest you'll see all fortnight. The optimum swell direction is WNW, so this SSW swell is a bit off-angle, but for a sheltered reef, it'll still offer some fun, lined-up waves. Do keep in mind, crowds are often an issue, but on a glassy morning like that, you'll want to be out early.

The rest of the run is a real grind. From Monday the 17th of August right through to Sunday the 30th of August, the conditions are consistently poor or marginal. The wind is almost always from the WNW or W, blowing cross or cross-onshore, so the surface is choppy or bumpy. Swell heights bounce around between 2ft and 6ft, but the energy is all over the place—some days it's weak (like 167), and on others it's moderate (up to 737) but the wind just ruins it. The wind shifts to a cross-on from the west on the 20th and 21st, and the swell period drops to a short, weak 6-second windswell on the 21st and 23rd, making it messy. There's a long, unattractive gap from the 21st to the 30th where nothing is really rideable. The best of the rest is the Thursday the 28th of August afternoon, with a 2ft SW swell at 17 seconds and a light cross-shore, but it's still only marginal.

The water temp is about average for the time of year, so no dramas there. For a sheltered reef, it's a classic case of waiting for the right wind. The good news is that the spot does break fairly consistently, so it tends not to stay poor forever. If you're an advanced surfer, keep your eye on the 31st; otherwise, it's a pretty quiet stretch.

Rusty

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