Saint Annes Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here with the lowdown, and I’m not gonna sugarcoat it – the next couple of weeks are lean. Real lean. If you’re thinking of paddling out, you might be better off checking the wind forecast for kiting instead.

We’re looking at a long stretch of nothing good at the start. The wind is stuck out of the west-northwest, blowing cross or cross-onshore, and the swell is mostly short-period junk. Water temps are pretty average for this time of year – nothing strange going on, just no energy.

The only spot we got to talk about is Saint Annes (reef). It’s a sheltered little reef break that really needs a strong west-northwest swell to light up. Problem is, every single session in the 16-day window is marked as “poor surf conditions.” Not one good wave.

We do see a few pulses of size later on. By Thursday afternoon, August 27th, the swell hits 2.5m from the west-northwest, but with a short period of just 8 seconds and a moderate cross-shore wind. There’s a lot of power (combined energy of 1063), but it’s gonna be choppy and messy. That trend continues into the end of the month: 2.4m, 2.5m swells with the same wind direction, and by Saturday afternoon the 29th, winds gust to 30 km/h, making it a lumpy, cross-shore mess. Those are expert-level waves size-wise, but the quality is shot.

For a reef like Saint Annes, the wind and short-period combo makes this look more like a kite surfer’s playground than a paddle surfer’s dream. There’s push, but no polish.

The closest we get to something rideable is the morning of Wednesday, August 19th and Thursday morning, August 20th. We get a small 0.8m to 0.9m swell from the south-southwest with a nice long period (14 to 16 seconds) and a light cross-onshore breeze. It’s tiny and the wind keeps it from being clean, but it’s the only period where the wave comment doesn't say “poor.” Still, it’s a 1 out of 10 – barely worth the drive.

Bottom line: blank run. If you absolutely have to get wet, try the early mornings of the 19th or 20th, but keep expectations real low. Forecasts can flip, but right now, it’s a waiting game.

Stay patient,
Rusty

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