Sandtracks Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up for Sandtracks.

Right off the bat, the next couple of weeks are a bit of a mixed bag. We’ve got some swell on the cards, but the wind is going to be the main character for a lot of it, and not always in a good way. The water temp is sitting around 81°, which is pretty normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.

We start on Friday, 21 August. It’s not much to write home about really – a modest 3 ft groundswell out of the SSW, with a very long period of 17 seconds. The combined energy is moderate at best (408). The morning has a light SSE breeze, so it’s a bit uncertain, but Friday afternoon is where the first real glimmer of hope is. Glassy conditions with a 3 ft SSW swell (16-second period) – that’s going to be clean as a whistle, proper lined-up waves for the intermediate surfer. This is the standout of the first few days.

Then, from Saturday 22 August right through until Saturday 29 August, it’s a tough stretch. Strong winds from the ENE, mostly cross-shore, and often hitting 18-25 mph, just chop things up. There’s still some long-period SSW swell hanging around, but the wind is relentless, and the surf quality plummets. It’s a real shame because there’s some decent energy in the water – look at Sunday 23 August morning with a combined energy of 608, but with a 5 ft, 7-second wind swell, it’s just a mess. Honestly, for a beach-and-reef setup like this, with these strong cross-shore winds, it’d be more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

That run of poor conditions lasts about a week. The only slight reprieve comes on Saturday 29 August afternoon, when the wind swings to a cross-offshore breeze, cleaning things up a little, but the swell is still weak and wonky.

Now, hold onto your board, because things start to look more promising towards the end of the month. On Sunday 30 August afternoon, we’ve got a 5 ft swell from the east, period of 13 seconds, and the energy is really starting to build (1097 combined energy). The wind is still messy, but it’s a sign of things to come.

The real standout of the entire forecast period is Monday 31 August. Monday afternoon at Sandtracks is looking proper meaty – a 10 ft swell from the ENE, period of 11 seconds. That is some serious grunt. The combined energy is a massive 2138, indicating very strong wave energy. This is not for beginners; this is expert territory. The wind is cross-offshore from the NE at 15 mph, so it should be reasonably clean for a wave that size. This is the best on offer, but it's over a week away, so keep an eye on it. Tuesday 1 September morning also has a decent 8 ft swell (10-second period) with clean cross-offshore winds, but it's not quite as powerful as the Monday.

After that burst of energy, it starts to fade into the first week of September. Wednesday 2 September has a 5 ft swell, but the wind is onshore and messy. By Thursday 3 September and beyond, the swell drops off and the wind stays a problem, with only small, poor-quality waves left. There’s a glimmer of hope on Wednesday afternoon when the wind drops to a light breeze, but the swell is short-period and not very inspiring.

So, bottom line: this is a classic two-part forecast. The first week is mostly a write-off thanks to the wind. The second week, especially Monday 31 August, has some serious power on offer for those who know what they’re doing. But it’s a long-range call, so don’t bet the farm on it just yet.

Stay safe, and keep an eye on that Monday afternoon.

Rusty

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