Saltwater Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto, let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for the next stretch. Gotta say, we’ve got a pretty mixed bag coming our way, with a real standout session early on, then a long quiet spell before the ocean wakes back up towards the end.

Our main spot is Saltwater, a south-east facing point break that’s fairly consistent and a good one for the beginners. The water temp is bang on average for this time of year at 66°, so nothing unusual there.

Things start off this Thursday morning, the 13th of August, with a clean 5ft SSW swell, 8 second period, and a light offshore wind from the SW. The energy is moderate (318), and it’s lining up nicely for the point. It’s a good, clean session to kick things off, but the real highlight comes tomorrow.

Friday the 14th is the pick of the bunch. The morning sees a solid 6ft swell from the south, 9 second period, with a glassy, clean light offshore breeze from the SW. The energy jumps right up to strong (801). This is proper point-break juice, and the offshore wind will have it looking like a postcard. Get on it early. The afternoon holds in with a similar 5ft S swell and clean conditions, but that morning window is the one.

Saturday the 15th holds onto some decent 5ft S swell in the morning with a cross-off breeze, and the energy is still pretty chunky (579). It’ll be fun but not as perfect as Friday. There is a chance of a rain shower passing through, but nothing to worry about.

Sunday the 16th sees the swell drop and get a bit messy. 5ft SSE swell but the period drops to a short 6 seconds, making for weaker, more disorganised waves. The energy dips to 376. From Sunday afternoon, things start to fade.

Monday the 17th and Tuesday the 18th are a write-off for quality surfing. We’ve got a 5ft to 6ft cross-shore wind and rain showers, creating a bumpy, choppy surface. The energy is still moderate but the quality is poor. This is when you’d be looking for something else to do.

We then hit a real gap. From Wednesday the 19th right through to Wednesday the 26th, the surf is small, weak, and mostly poor. You’ll see tiny 2ft to 4ft waves with low energy, often with onshore or cross-onshore winds. The 20th has a moment of glassy conditions, but only with a 4ft SE swell showing 130 energy. It’s surfable but very ordinary. This is a long, quiet stretch for the paddle crew.

Now, hold on to your board. The forecast shows a serious pulse arriving on Thursday the 27th of August. Thursday morning brings a 7ft SSW swell, 9 second period, with a strong 16 mph offshore wind from the SW. The energy is strong (934). This is a powerful, clean wave, but at over 7ft, it’s getting into expert territory. The wind will clean it up nicely, but it will be a handful. The afternoon holds with a 6ft swell and a longer 11 second period, which is a proper groundswell, but the wind picks up to a fresh 22 mph offshore. This window is the main event of the second week, and it’s worth circling on the calendar.

Friday the 28th of August still has some grunt with 6ft to 6ft S swell, and a very long 13 second period in the morning. The energy is very strong (1234). However, the wind is a strong cross-off breeze at 25 mph. It’ll be big, powerful, and clean, but the paddle out will be an epic in itself. This is strictly for the experienced crew on solid boards.

So, to sum it up: Friday the 14th morning is your absolute standout. Get on that 6ft S swell with light offshore winds at Saltwater. It’s the best of the lot. The second-week pulse on Thursday the 27th is the other major highlight, but it’s a much heavier wave requiring a cool head and a lot of experience.

Stay patient during that long flat stretch in between. It never stays poor for good.

Rusty.

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