Saltwater Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for Saltwater over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, it’s a bit of a slow start. The first few days are pretty grim, with barely a ripple to get excited about. We’re lookin’ at a stretch of small, weak, and messy surf from Saturday the 22nd through to about Tuesday the 25th. The swell energy is weak, sitting at 29 to 249, and the wind is all over the shop – mostly onshore or cross. Not worth paddlin’ out for.

Things start to show a little pulse on Wednesday the 26th. The afternoon brings a bit of hope with a 5ft swell from the NE, period around 7 seconds, and glassy conditions. The energy jumps to 347, and the combo of clean, glassy water and that little bump in size makes this the first real standout of the period. It’s only a small window, but if you can sneak out Wednesday arvo, you’ll find some fun, clean waves.

Thursday the 27th morning sees offshore wind from the SW with a 4ft ENE swell, period 8 seconds. The energy is 176 and the conditions are clean. It’s surfable, but nothing special. The real gem comes Friday the 28th morning – totally glassy, zero wind, with a 4ft, 8-second ENE swell and 223 energy. That’s the kind of morning you wake up early for. Clean, organised lines, and you’ll have the place to yourself.

The weekend and start of the next week (29th August to 1st September) are a mixed bag. Some glassy mornings, some cross-onshore chop. The swell hangs around the 3ft to 4ft mark, but the wind never really locks in. The energy is mediocre, between 161 and 251. It’s not a write-off, but it’s not a call-to-arms either.

Now, lookin’ further ahead, things get a bit more interesting. Wednesday the 2nd of September sees a solid 5ft SSE swell with 9-second period, clean offshore winds from the SSW, and energy at 810. That’s a proper bump, and the conditions are clean. This is another standout worth circling on the calendar. The following morning, Thursday the 3rd, is a mess with onshore winds and a 5ft NE swell, so don’t get too excited.

The real dark horse is Friday the 4th of September afternoon. A big 12ft S swell rolls in with an 8-second period and energy through the roof at 1634. That’s a lot of water moving. The wind is light cross-onshore, but at that size, it’s expert territory only. This is a big, powerful swell, and only the experienced crew should be out. The next morning, Saturday the 5th, cleans up with a 5ft S swell and offshore SSW winds, energy at 701. That’s a solid option for the confident surfer.

The very end of the run, Sunday the 6th of September morning, looks tidy with a 3ft S swell, 10-second period, offshore SSW wind, and 290 energy. Clean conditions, a bit of groundswell push, and a nice way to finish the forecast.

The water temp is about average for the time of year, so no surprises there.

So, my pick of the bunch? Wednesday the 26th of August afternoon – that 5ft glassy session is a gem. And for the bigger, more powerful crew, Friday the 4th of September afternoon is a real standout, but it’s for experts only. Keep an eye on the long-range stuff, it’s promising but not locked in.

Rusty.

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