Saint Annes Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ll level with you—this stretch from August 25 right through to September 9 is a tough watch. If you’re chomping at the bit for a proper surf, you’re gonna be waiting a while. There’s no standout day to circle on the calendar where everything clicks, just a long run of messy, cross-shore chop and poor conditions. The first solid window doesn’t even show up until Thursday morning, August 27, and even then it's a marginal call.

The only break on the cards is Saint Annes, a sheltered reef that likes a WNW swell. The water temp anomaly is about average for this time of year, so nothing unusual there. It’s fairly consistent as a spot, but crowds are often an issue here.

Now, the closest thing to a highlight is the morning of Thursday, August 27. Swell is 6ft, coming from the WNW with a period of 8 seconds—short period, so it’s a bit of a windswell, not a clean groundswell. Combined swell energy is moderate (597). Wind is light and cross-shore at 6 mph, meaning small crossing wind ripples but not too choppy. It’s borderline, and you’ll be fighting tide questions. Still, it’s the best of a very average run.

Friday morning, August 28 offers a similar story: 3ft from the SSW with a very long 19-second period. That’s a proper groundswell, but at a sheltered reef, that long period might make it fat and straight. Combined energy is moderate (636). Wind is light cross-shore. It’s another marginal one, but don’t expect much.

After that, it’s a grind. From August 29 through early September, you’re looking at cross-shore winds of 9–16 mph and poor to marginal surf. The swell hangs between 2ft and 4ft, mostly from the SSW with moderate to strong combined energy, but the wind just won’t line up cleanly.

The one curveball is Monday afternoon, August 31—a 7ft pulse from the WNW with a short 7-second period. That’s too big and sloppy for beginners, and with cross-shore breeze at 16 mph, it’s going to be a mess. More of a kite-surfing setup than a paddle day.

Later in the week, Monday afternoon, September 7 shows a 8ft WNW swell with a 7-second period and gentle cross-shore wind. That’s expert territory size-wise, but with that period and wind, it’s not going to be clean.

So, the honest truth? There’s no real standout here. If you absolutely have to paddle, Thursday morning August 27 or Friday morning August 28 are your best bets—but keep expectations low. This is a rare blank run for the area, and it tends not to stay this poor for long. Forecasts can change, but right now, I’d say give it a miss.

Rusty.

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