Saltwater Surf Break

Lat Long: 32.01° S 152.57° E

Saltwater Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 9 pm 15 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Saltwater sea temperature is
18.7° C
0.2° 

Saltwater surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Saltwater surf forecast from 15 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Sunday 16 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 8s period, S swell with offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Sunday 23 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 7.5ft (2.3m), 8s period, S swell with 650 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 16 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 8s period with S swell.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Saltwater this week:

The surf forecast for Saltwater over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 16) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.7m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 1.5m and 8s. Another secondary swell of 0.4m and 18s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Saltwater in the next 16 days are 2.3m 8s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 23) at 4AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.0m 4s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 22) at 10PM.

Wave TypeTime (AEST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 1AM (Sun 16th Aug)5.5ft (1.7m) 8s
Best Surf 1AM (Sun 16th Aug)5.5ft (1.7m) 8s
Most Powerful 4AM (Sun 23rd Aug)7.5ft (2.3m) 8s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Saltwater over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright, grab your board. This is Saltwater, and it's a bit of a slow burn, but there's a proper pulse hiding in the second week.

Right off the bat, the surf this Sunday morning (16 August) is small, around 2ft from the SSE. It’s got a long 17-second period, so there's some push behind it, and the light S cross-off wind will keep it clean. It’s not setting the world on fire, but it’s a start. The afternoon jumps up to 5ft, but the period drops out to a weak 7 seconds, so it’ll be a bit lumpy and less organized, even if it's still clean. The energy is moderate (449).

We roll into Monday (17 August) with about 5ft from the ESE, and a light SSE cross-off breeze in the morning keeps things clean. The afternoon turns a bit cross-shore with a slight chop, making it less appealing. Tuesday (18 August) is similar in size, but the cross-shore wind and small ripples make it pretty average. Through the start of the week, the combined energy is moderate, ranging from 238 to 397.

Now, Wednesday (19 August) is where things start to get interesting. The morning is 4ft from the SE, but it’s the afternoon that’s the standout: a glassy 4ft with a 10-second period from the SE (332). That’s your cleanest, most fun wave of this first stretch. A light NE wind, zero texture on the water. Get in the water then.

Thursday and Friday (20-21 August) are a write-off. The wind goes onshore and the surf gets poor and messy. It’s a couple of days to do something else. The energy drops right off, getting down to weak levels (111-225).

The weekend (22-23 August) brings a slow rebuild. Saturday (22 August) is small and ordinary, clean but unremarkable. But hold on to your hat for Sunday morning (23 August). The swell kicks in proper and the energy readings go through the roof. We’re looking at a solid 10ft from the S with a 10-second period, and the combined energy is a massive 1654. The wind is glassy, dead calm. This is the real deal. That size is well over the 8ft mark, so it is for experts only. It’s a big, powerful day at Saltwater, with the S swell wrapping in nicely.

The early part of the next week (24-25 August) is a letdown after that peak, but the energy is still moderate. Monday morning (24 August) is onshore and poor, but the afternoon flips to glassy with 4ft from the S (290). It’s worth a paddle. Tuesday (25 August) has a clean 4ft morning, but the afternoon wind howls to 19 mph, even if it’s cross-off. It’s going to be howling.

Then we get another notable pulse. Wednesday morning (26 August) is a different beast. We’ve got 5ft from the SSE but with a very long 16-second period (1195). This kind of groundswell is prone to breaking a bit straight at a beach break, but at a point like Saltwater, it should line up nicely and offer some proper walls. It’s going to be a standout, but the moderate cross-off wind will keep it a bit lumpy. Still, that’s a lot of energy in the water.

The rest of that week (27-28 August) settles back down to clean but modest 3-4ft waves from the S/SSE, with light cross-off winds. It's clean, fun, and not too crowded by the looks of things. The energy is moderate, dipping to 198 on Friday morning.

The final weekend (29-30 August) and the start of the next week (31 August) sees a smaller, windswell-infused pattern, with waves from the NE and ENE. It's clean and cross-off, but the period is short and the energy is weak to moderate (120-231). It’s the sort of small, fun, uncrowded surf that keeps you honest.

For my money, the standout is that Sunday morning, 23 August. It’s a proper event, a big clean pulse from the south. The second spot would be the Wednesday morning, 26 August, with that long-period groundswell. That’s the one that’ll have the point working top to bottom.

One last thing – water temps are about average for this time of year, so you won’t need a hood, but it’s not bathwater either.

Keep it salty.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Moderate rain (total 12mm), heaviest on Sun morning. Very mild (max 17°C on Tue afternoon, min 14°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Moderate rain (total 15mm), heaviest on Tue night. Warm (max 23°C on Fri morning, min 13°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light.

Sunday
16
Monday
17
Tuesday
18
Wednesday
19
Thursday
20
Friday
21
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
3
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.7
S
8
0.5
SSE
17
1.6
SSE
7
1.3
ESE
7
1.4
ESE
7
1.4
ESE
7
1.3
ESE
7
1.3
ESE
7
1.3
ESE
7
1.4
ESE
7
1.2
SE
7
1.3
SE
10
1.3
ESE
7
1
ESE
7
1
ESE
7
1.2
ENE
7
1.2
NE
7
1.2
ENE
7
1.1
ENE
7
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
363
170
236
155
202
191
178
178
178
180
156
303
169
93
91
139
127
136
115
Wind (km/h)
10
SW
10
S
15
SSE
10
SSE
10
SSE
15
SE
5
E
10
ESE
10
SE
5
NW
5
W
5
NE
10
N
10
N
25
NE
15
N
10
NNE
5
NW
10
NW
Wind State
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross-on
cross
cross
cross
cross-off
glassy
cross-on
cross-on
on
cross-on
cross-on
glassy
cross
High Tide
10:34AM1.38m
10:36PM1.42m
11:15AM1.37m
11:16PM1.26m
11:59AM1.35m
11:58PM1.10m
12:47PM1.31m
00:47AM0.98m
1:44PM1.27m
1:52AM0.88m
2:52PM1.25m
3:18AM0.85m
Low Tide
4:22AM0.06m
4:31PM0.26m
4:56AM0.14m
5:20PM0.35m
5:29AM0.23m
6:13PM0.44m
6:05AM0.33m
7:16PM0.52m
6:47AM0.41m
8:32PM0.56m
7:42AM0.48m
9:55PM0.55m
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
part cloud
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
part cloud
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
cloud
light rain
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:26
6:24
6:22
6:22
6:20
6:20
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:22
5:22
5:22
5:23
5:24
5:24
 mm
1
2
1
3
2
1
2
8
5
2
2
Temp °C
16
16
16
16
16
16
16
16
17
15
14
15
15
20
19
16
23
20
17
Feels °C
14
13
13
14
12
13
15
13
15
14
14
14
14
16
15
13
20
19
16
  • Map Icons:
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  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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Information about the Saltwater Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Saltwater provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Saltwater can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Saltwater surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Saltwater) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).

Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Saltwater may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.

Saltwater is 15 km (9 miles) from Taree. If you plan a holiday in Port Macquarie, look for hotels and other accommodation in Taree. Taree has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.

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