Sandtracks Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let me level with you. The next 16 days are honestly a tough watch for proper surf at Sandtracks. We’ve got a solid run of onshore and cross-shore winds with lumpy, choppy conditions that make most of the forecast a write-off for paddle surfing.

The water temp is sitting at 27°C, which is pretty much average for this time of year, so at least you won’t need a thick suit for the few moments it might look okay.

Through the first week, from Monday 10 August up until Friday 14 August, it’s constant cross-shore winds around 25 to 35 km/h and mostly poor surf conditions. The swell is small, only 0.6m to 1.1m, and mostly from the SSW and S. The combined swell energy sits between 389 and 983, which is moderate at best but completely let down by the wind chop. The surf is messy and not really offering much. Thursday 13 August morning has the most size at 1.4m (moderate energy at 1125), but with a fresh cross-shore and lumpy conditions, it’s still a pass.

There’s a brief window on Friday 14 August morning when the wind goes cross-offshore and the surface cleans up, with 1.1m S swell at 14 seconds. It’s marginal but probably the least frustrating session of the early run.

Saturday 15 August and Sunday 16 August see a jump in size. By Saturday morning we’ve got 2.1m from the east at 10 seconds, building to 2.4m from the east at 12 seconds in the afternoon. The wind is cross-offshore and clean, so the surface will look good, but the energy is very strong (1246 to 1805). That east swell direction isn’t the best match for Sandtracks, as it favours an SSE optimum. Sunday 16 August pushes up to 3.5m to 5.5m from the ENE with onshore wind and risk of thunderstorms. That’s too big and blown out – only for very experienced chargers if anyone even considers it.

The standout window in the whole forecast is hard to call, but if I’ve got to pick one, it’s Saturday 15 August morning. Clean conditions from a cross-offshore northeast breeze, 2.1m of east swell with steady 10 second period, moderate-to-strong energy. Crowds are possible as it’s often busy, but the quality is only marginal for Sandtracks given the direction mismatch. Still, it’s the closest we get to a proper session.

From Monday 17 August onward it’s back to small, wind-affected, and mostly poor surf. There’s a brief lift on Tuesday 25 August morning with 1.1m S swell at 19 seconds, long period groundswell, and moderate-to-strong energy (1463). But the cross-shore wind is still there at 35 km/h, creating a lumpy mess. That long period swell would work better at a reef or point, but Sandtracks is exposed and will be breaking straight in those conditions.

In short, it’s a lean 16 days. There’s one half-decent clean morning on Saturday 15 August. If you’re desperate, that’s your window. Otherwise, it might be more interesting for kite surfing on the bigger days when the wind is solid.

Rusty

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